Bring back our sugar industry

RECENTLY we have seen headlines in the press about the revival of the sugar industry in Ireland.

I saw it being set up originally in the 1930s when a state company, Cómlacht Siúcra Eireann Teo, was formed. It canvassed growers and the small farmers responded very well as sugar beet was a good cash crop. Kerry growers benefited from it and a Castlegregory man, Patrick McKenna of Tullig, Castlegregory won the trophy for good beet production.

As time went by, larger growers included sugar beet into their rotation.