Decision time on beet farms

THE Midland Beet Growers Association has called on IFA to conduct a secret ballot to determine how many farmers are interested in growing sugar beet in 2006.

Martin Healy said the Association, which claims membership in Laois, Offaly, Carlow, Kildare, Kilkenny and Tipperary, wants out of beet, basically because the price on offer is too low, and haulage to Mallow too costly.

Mr Healy said growers who opt out will still get a €9.40 per tonne decoupled payment, and his Association is seeking aid from a €44m regional development fund for replacement of the sugar industry, equivalent to €33 per tonne of beet in Ireland.