In France sugar beet area to decrease by 5%
Farmers in France, the European Union's biggest crop producer, are expected to cut back on sugar beet, partly in response to severe drought last year, the farm ministry said.
It is reported by Nasdaq.
France was among European countries hit by drought and heatwaves last summer that hurt spring-sown crops like maize and sugar beet.
Among first estimates for spring crops, the ministry said sugar beet plantings were expected to fall 4.9% from last year to 382,000 hectares.
That was 11.5% under the five-year average and would be the first time the sugar beet area would fall below 400,000 hectares since the abolition of EU sugar production quotas in 2017, it added.
Sugar beet growers have anticipated a steeper decline in planting due to a ban on a pesticide treatment for seeds.