Chair of the NFU Sugar Board Kit Papworth, said: “While we are pleased with British Sugar’s commitment that no growers will be financially disadvantaged for the 2027/28 crop, we are calling for this to be made permanent, to give affected growers the confidence to invest for the long-term future of the sector.
“Growers supplying Cantley have supported the industry for decades and will rightly be very concerned about the proposed closure and potential impact on their farming businesses.
“Sadly, we are seeing sugar beet factories around Europe closing – which is a consequence of over-capacity following deregulation in 2017 when the EU transitioned from a protected, quota-based system to one exposed to international sugar markets.
“We believe this closure is also a consequence of government trade policy in allowing greater quantities of duty-free sugar to be imported into the UK.
“NFU Sugar is also very concerned this factory closure means British Sugar will reduce its commitment to domestically grown sugar beet. As we have long argued, imported sugar may be produced in ways that are illegal in the UK.
Public commitment needed
Kit Papworth went on to say, “This is a critical moment for the future of UK sugar beet. Growers need certainty. NFU Sugar is therefore seeking a public commitment from British Sugar that UK grown sugar beet is not displaced by imported beet or cane sugar”.
NFU Sugar says the proposed closure raises significant concerns about the long-term commitment to UK-grown sugar beet and the potential impact on growers in the region.
NFU Sugar are seeking a public commitment that domestic sugar beet production will not be displaced by imported beet or cane sugar.
“This is a critical moment for the future of UK sugar beet. Growers need certainty. NFU Sugar is therefore seeking a public commitment from British Sugar that UK grown sugar beet is not displaced by imported beet or cane sugar”.
Chair of the NFU Sugar Board Kit Papworth
