PRODUCTION OF SUGAR BEET

Press, Volume XCVII, Issue 28699, 24 September 1958, Page 8

PRODUCTION OF SUGAR BEET

“Impracticable” In New Zealand “The Press’ 1 Special Service AUCKLAND, September 23. The production of sugar beet in New Zealand to help to conserve overseas funds is impracticable, according to the Department of Agriculture. The Auckland provincial executive of Federated Farmers was told this by a delegate, Mr A. R. Hughes. He said this was the department’s reply to recent suggestions for a sugar beet industry for New Zealand.

The national agricultural section of Federated Farmers had been told by a department officer, Mr J. R. Claridge, that the impracticability of the proposal had been proved by .a departmental survey in World War 11. Nothing had since happened to change this. Mr Claridge had said that to keep one factory in operation, 10,000 acres of sugar «beet would be required. An area of 100,000 acres would have to be set aside and rotational cultivation carried on, with sugar beet being grown only once every 10 years on each 10,000 acres. Each factory would need a staff of 200. At the Ruakura farmers’ conference in Hamilton on June 20, the Ruakura research station superintendent (Dr. C. P. McMeekan) said New Zealand could save £9,000,000 a year by becoming self-sufficient on sugar and cereals. He added: “Sugar beet production is no longer the occupation of a peasant farming community.”