SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY.

Poverty Bay Herald, Volume XLVIII, Issue 15714, 4 January 1922, Page 4

SUGAR BEET INDUSTRY.

PROSPECTS IN NEW ZEALAND!

Sugar beet production is one of the •subjects discussed in the annual report of the Department of Agriculture. The report states:—

"The trials in.the growing of sugar beet at the Ashburton Experimental Kami, the Central Development, Eton (Weraroa), the Martou experimental area, and the subsidised farms at Mnnaia and Stratford have created a great deal of .interest in tbe question as to whether a beet sugar industry could not be profitably developed in the Dominion. Tho High yields secured, varying from 18 .to 24 tons pel's acre oven under not particularly favorable conditions, and flie satisfactory : sugiir content' indicate that so far as tho actual growing of the roots is concerned the crop presents no more difficulties than does the ordinary mangold.; The especially satisfactory results Isecired at' the Ash burton farm Wci'e 'largely responsible, for fho efforts that .have been made.; by private* enterprise in Canterbury to establish.,'!, sugar beet growing and. manufacturing company. ' So far, however, nothing tangible haa resulted, mainly through lack of-adequate financial support. "The question.as to whether development in this direction should lie encouraged is one that L will> have to be decided one, way or the other, and in order to secure some information regarding sugar beet growing under ordinary field conditions the*!Department has distributed a considerable amount of beet- seed to farmers) in both Canterbury and Otago. Judging by the number of requests made far trials with this seed', it ap ! peara asi if the Canterbury farmer, in. particular, would lie quite prepared to undertake the.production of this crop on commerciol fines.

"On/a point with regard to beet sugar production' has not previously been puffi. cierjtly stressed, and that is the large amount of labor that would be absorbed in the'manufacturing end of the busi-

ness, from, say, the end of May to.;the end Of September. This would fit in remarkably well-with the slack pertpd of our,meat works arid beef sugar factories located! in' the vicinity of meat works would be of mutual : bcn6fit so far as the labor question is concerned."