Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what steps her Department is taking to help support sugar beet growers.

The Government recognises the importance of sugar beet farmers and their vital contribution to UK sugar production. We are committed to promoting fairness across the food supply chain, with risk and reward being properly shared.

We know that control of aphids and yellow virus, along with weather related problems - such as dry springs affecting crop establishment and wet conditions during the campaign harvests – can create issues for beet growers.

Defra’s reach and engagement with the agri-food sector is extensive and well-established. This includes regular contact with producers and processors in the UK sugar industry which ensures a strong two-way dialogue at both a ministerial and official level.

The UK Agricultural Market Monitoring Group, launched in January 2021, also monitors UK agricultural markets including price, supply, and trade enabling it to provide forewarning of any atypical market movements.

These allow Government to collect both data and industry intelligence on the agricultural sectors, including sugar, to understand any challenges being faced. We do not consider there is a case for support at this time but will keep the situation under review.