Beet rejuvenation - Idea worth pursuing

It seemed recklessly unnecessary, and time has proven that it was, to close down Ireland’s sugar processing plants some years ago.

The beet crop was a good earner for farmers, created lots of seasonal work in processing plants, and sustained a considerable number of permanent support jobs. It also strengthened considerably our food independence, an issue that will increase in significance in the coming years.

Therefore, it is not looking at the past through rose-tinted glasses to welcome the fact that a feasibility study is underway to establish if it might be possible to rejuvenate the industry.

If the beet sector could be revived in a viable way, economically and environmentally, it would answer many of the pressing needs of the day.