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British Sugar and NFU Sugar announce 25% cash advance

24 May 2022

As part of our efforts to alleviate some of the commercial pressures sugar beet growers are facing, British Sugar and NFU Sugar are announcing a 25% cash advancement, interest free, ahead of the 2022/23 campaign.

This offer is open to all growers who have held contracts with British Sugar for each of the last 3 years. Growers will be able to opt-in to the scheme, with monies in their banks during the third full week of June.

Dan Green, Agriculture Director at British Sugar said:

“British Sugar is committed to being at the heart of a homegrown sugar industry. As part of that, we want to help our beet growers whenever possible. With recent levels of inflation resulting in higher input prices, sugar beet growers are facing unexpected and increased pressures. We have worked with NFU Sugar to provide some practical help in these extraordinary circumstances.

We acknowledge, more than ever, that growing sugar beet is a partnership between growers, industry partners, and us as the processor. We hope this cash advance, together with the work of the Field-to-Factory Partnership, gives growers the confidence to invest in sugar beet in the long-term.”

NFU Sugar Board chair Michael Sly said:

“With growers across the country facing extreme inflationary pressures, I’m pleased that we have been able to work with British Sugar to offer growers a cash advance on their 2022 crop. Cash flow is incredibly important for a farm business and when prices of key inputs have risen so sharply, this early cash injection will provide some relief for British sugar beet growers.”

To be eligible to opt-in for the cash advance, growers need to have held contracts with British Sugar for each of the past 3 years and have completed the current year’s Crop Area Declaration. Growers who have not held contracts for at least the last three years can still speak with their British Sugar Account Manager to discuss their eligibility.

Both British Sugar and NFU Sugar are committed to delivering a timely outcome for the 2023/24 contract negotiation that is both fair and fitting for all parties involved with a commitment to the industry at the heart of the process.

British Sugar is the sole processor of the UK’s sugar beet crop, working in partnership with around 3,000 growers and our customers to deliver a world-class product. We process around eight million tonnes of sugar beet and produce up to 1.2 million tonnes of sugar annually.

To contact the British Sugar press office:
press@britishsugar.com
+44 (0)1733 422945

To contact the NFU press office, please call 02476 858686.