Round the clock beet processing campaign commences
Over 3.2 billion seeds have been used to produce 1.3 million tonnes of beet from 80,000 acres to meet the Irish sugar quota of 195,000 tonnes.
Some 240 hauliers will be involved in transporting the beet from 3,900 growers to the factories.
Irish Sugar, which employs 450 permanent staff, has taken on 200 temporary staff for the campaign.
The overall value of this year’s beet crop to farmers is €62 million.
IFA Sugar Beet Section chairman Willie French said agreement has been reached with Irish Sugar to pay an on-account price of 46/t at 16% sugar for all contract beet delivered during this year’s campaign.
“This on-account price will be reviewed in November in light of the yield of the crop and the sugar content,” he said, adding that this price reflects the increase of 1.50/t negotiated with Irish Sugar for last year and an additional increase of 0.50/t negotiated for this year.
In addition, an extraction efficiency payment of 0.40 will be paid this year if the extraction rate exceeds 93.6%.
Mr French also confirmed agreement has been reached with the Beet Hauliers’ Association on haulage rates in a deal for the next three beet campaigns.
* Minister Joe Walsh said yesterday he considers it vital that a proper impact analysis is carried out on the decoupling element of the mid term CAP review proposals.
As part of that analysis, a full review of the farm income situation within the union should also be undertaken.
Minister Walsh said a review of the type he was proposing was essential to ensure the economic viability of farming would be protected and enhanced by any possible policy changes to the CAP.
He emphasised the importance of an EU-wide study which could take into account the diverse sources of information on farm income.
Minister Walsh said he would submit to the EU Commission all farm
income data available from the CSO, Teagasc and the department for the purposes of the study.
