Dry Weather Could Hurt Yields in 20% of U.K. Sugar Beet Crop

About 15 to 20 percent of the U.K.’s sugar beet crop could suffer if it doesn’t rain in the next two to three weeks, according to John Hoyles, a member of the sugar board at the National Farmers Union.

The U.K. had about 61 percent of the normal amount of rain in the last three months, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said. Last month was the hottest April in at least 352 years as measured by the Central England Temperature series, according to the Met Office. Soil-moisture deficits were the highest for England and Wales in at least 50 years, the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology said on May 12.

“The main problem of the crop at the moment is just lack of moisture,” Hoyles said by phone. Yields could suffer if it doesn’t rain now, he said, adding that the 15 to 20 percent of the crop planted in lighter, sandier soil is more likely to be affected by the dry weather.

Sugar beet planting in the U.K. was ahead of schedule by at least a week, according to Hoyles. “The majority of the sugar beet looks extraordinarily well, but it’s very thirsty now,” he said, adding that 30-40 millimeters (1.2-1.6 inches) of rainfall were needed.

Yields could still be “very good” if rain falls over the producing regions, he said, adding it’s too early to give crop projections. “We are still in the position that if we got a nice and steady rain now, we could have very good yields this year,” he said.

The sugar beet crop in France, the world’s largest grower of the root, has escaped drought damage so far, Alain Jeanroy, director general of the French sugar-beet growers’ federation, said on May 12.

(Source: http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2011-05-17/dry-weather-could-hurt-yields-in-20-of-u-k-sugar-beet-crop.html)