Last week in Grand Forks, N.D., the chairman of the International Sugarbeet Institute said sugar prices have not changed much since the 1980s, meaning growershave had to increase their efficiency and keep producing bigger crops in order to keep themselves afloat.
“Our efficiency has increased, so rather than planting, let's say 700,000 acres in this area, here, 20 years ago, we are now only doing maybe 500,000 acres to get less and getting the same [amount] or even more sugar than 20 years ago. So it's all called 'efficiency,' or improving efficiency,” said chairman Mohamed Khan.
Planting, ideally, would start within the next month.