Beet margins

[Colin]

Ok then, as I'm obviously in a sub optimal area for bet growing are my costs reasonable.
Spending about £685/ha on VCs, does this sound right. What's an average?

 

[Farmer T]

HSBC have it at £680/ha so you're spot on. They also have break even point at 78t/ha at a price of £26.50/t!

 

[Flat 10]

I don't know how the price of AD beet seed works out as you are not forced to buy from BS but I would say my seed and fert costs are a touch higher than that and my sprays lower.

 

[Colin]

Thanks for that, my figures say a net margin at 70t/ha of £700/ha, that doesn't include rent or ploughing it as I was comparing crop to crop. Even if my numbers are a bit out there's still a margin there. This year my average NM is about £500/ha.

 

[Flat 10]

Thanks for that, my figures say a net margin at 70t/ha of £700/ha, that doesn't include rent or ploughing it as I was comparing crop to crop. Even if my numbers are a bit out there's still a margin there. This year my average NM is about £500/ha.

I agree. tend to think pretty average beet here pays better than any other break crop except a really good OSR crop with good prices.

 

[nick...]

As usual it's ok if you can lift and get rid of beet in good conditions.if you cant you will have a poor following crop and untold soil damage to rectify
Nick...

 

[Flat 10]

As usual it's ok if you can lift and get rid of beet in good conditions.if you can you will have a poor following crop and untold soil damage to rectify
Nick...

Which doesn’t show up on British sugars spread sheets.......
But I still quite like growing it.

 

[nick...]

British sugar prefer to forget this when renting land for lifting in march.im sure we all know of one or two growers who have suffered accordingly.
Nick...

 

[Colin]

I don't know how the price of AD beet seed works out as you are not forced to buy from BS but I would say my seed and fert costs are a touch higher than that and my sprays lower.

Usually about 200/unit

 

[Flat 10]

Usually about 200/unit

Very similar then

 

[Rookie]

HSBC have it at £680/ha so you're spot on. They also have break even point at 78t/ha at a price of £26.50/t!

Makes you wonder how people pay silly rents to grow sugar beet. The price of £26.50 is including a haulage allowance of £4.50, so still based on basic price of £22/t.
Some new growers still think they are going to make a fortune growing beet!
This year's crop growing conditions are a one off though.
I can forsee B.S cutting growers contracts like they did a couple of years ago, as they will probably have an excess of sugar if yields are as high as reported.

 

[Sonoftheheir]

I’ve got overall £445 per ha, inc seed,chem,sprays and irrigation x1.

Seed is at 1.3units per ha
2x escolta inc

Don’t use fert.

 

[Flat 10]

I’ve got overall £445 per ha, inc seed,chem,sprays and irrigation x1.

Seed is at 1.3units per ha
2x escolta inc

Don’t use fert.

N you mean? Or have you enough residual PK from the spuds?

 

[Sonoftheheir]

N you mean? Or have you enough residual PK from the spuds?

No nitrogen or P &K. We always had low sugars and I thought it was down to the land being too fertile?

We have the soil tested and atm we seem to be about right on the indices. But Might start putting muck on in front as we’re not hitting the yields others seem to be getting.

 

[Flat 10]

No nitrogen or P &K. We always had low sugars and I thought it was down to the land being too fertile?

We have the soil tested and atm we seem to be about right on the indices. But Might start putting muck on in front as we’re not hitting the yields others seem to be getting.

Wish my land was that fertile.