BEET SUGAR.

Otago Witness, Issue 3773, 6 July 1926, Page 36

BEET SUGAR.

ULSTER CONSIDERED SUITABLE. (Fbou Ocb Own Cobbespondent.) LONDON, May 21. The growing of sugar beet as a new Ulster industry ia dealt with in the coneluding report of the commission appointed to enquire into the Natural and Industrial Resources of Northern Ireland. The Commission report that experiments conducted in various parts of Ireland estab lished the fact that sugar beet -can be grown in Ireland with results equally aatis. factory in point of yield and sugar content to those obtained in most of the recognised beet-growing countries of the Continent, but it is pointed out that the results of these tests should not be regarded as conclusive proof, that the crop, if' grown in the ordinary way, would assure equally satisfactory results. Notwithstanding, it is stated that there appears to be ample reason to believe that once the necessary experience ia acquired, it could be grown ae successfully as on the Continent or iD England. But it is pointed out that the introduction of the industry into Northern Ireland could noi increase the acreage under tillage end it would simply mean substituting one Toot crop for another, and after full consideration of all the details—costs baaed on the rates of the subsidy at presen' being granted by the Imperial Government, cost of factory, returns to the farmer—compared with the potato crop, the Commission has unanimously recommended to the Government that— The question of providing e State subsidy to permit of the establishment of the industry should be postponed for a period of two yearn. It is further recommended that the Ministry of Agriculture, in order to test the suitability of eoil and climate for the production of the crop on a commercial scale, should be authorised to srrange for the growing of e limited acreage of auger beet in various districts,

purchase the beet thus grown at the prices paid by the factories in Great Britain and dispose of it to either an English or Scottish factory. In this way reliable data will be procured, and farmers will have an opportunity of forming their own judgment on the suitability of sugar beet as a substitute for other root crops.