9 November 2023

Campaign 2023 – Why does the sugar beet have such a low sugar content?

The campaign is stable in the Nordzucker factories, but with sugar beet that has a relatively low sugar content. High beet volumes with low sugar content are characteristic of the 2023 campaign in all Nordzucker countries. Why is this the case this year?

If we disregard the factors that the farmer can influence (variety, fertilisation, crop management, etc.), one key factor is the weather. During vegetation, sugar beet goes through various stages that are important for sugar storage in the roots.

This year, sowing took place much later than the average in recent years due to the weather. In addition, the juvenile phase of the sugar beet tended to take place under cool conditions, which led to delayed development. Although abundant rainfall in August and early September led to a growth spurt, the sugar could not be formed and stored due to the absorption of a lot of water and lack of sunshine. In this respect, the low sugar content in the beet at the beginning of the campaign was not unexpected. Unfortunately, the weather in September and October did not lead to a significant increase in the amount of sugar stored, but it did lead to an increase in yield. The result is high beet yields with a relatively low sugar content of less than 17 per cent.