Sugar producers from across the globe are descending on Cambridge for this year’s world sugar conference, taking place in the UK for the first time.
Up to 200 delegates will meet in the city from July 19 to 22, for the 10th World Association of Beet and Cane Growers Conference (WABCG10), hosted by the NFU.
The agenda boasts an impressive line-up of speakers from all sugar-producing continents who will convene, along with other sugar leaders, to address economic, environmental and technological issues in the sugar and ethanol industry. Highlights of the conference include addresses by the UK Secretary of State, Caroline Spelman, the European Commission’s Lars Hoelgaard and His Royal Highness, The Duke of Gloucester, who is providing an opening address.
NFU sugar board chairman William Martin, who farms at Littleport, said: “This conference provides a unique forum for leaders of beet and cane growing organisations worldwide to meet and discuss common interests, challenges and solutions. All the key players and most of the world’s sugar producers will be there and our speakers include experts from Brazil, Australia, India, South Africa and Europe.
“Nowhere else do delegates have such good access to sugar and ethanol experts and representatives of equivalent organisations from around the world.”
UK beet growers are being given a unique opportunity to attend all or part of this year’s conference, free of charge, simply by registering a place via the dedicated website www.wabcg10.com or by contacting the NFU on 024 7685 8616.
Mr Martin said: “This is the first time the event has been held in the UK. It is a great honour but also a superb and unique opportunity for UK growers to get involved. It is guaranteed to be as rewarding as it is enjoyable and I look forward to seeing as many UK growers there as possible, even if they only attend part of the event.”
Topics this year include world trade, contractual conditions and farm practices, technical developments and agriculture’s response to climate change. The conference format includes presentations, discussion panels and field trips. This year there is also a full day technical tour, hosted by British Sugar which includes a factory tour and field visit to Broom’s Barn Research Station in Suffolk.
No comments have been made.