Romanian farmers from Transylvania urged to grow sugar beet again

The Association of Sugar Beet Growers 'BETA' from Ludus, comprising of about 300 farmers from the counties of Mures, Cluj, Sibiu, Alba, Bistrita-Nasaud, Hunedoara, Harghita, Covasna and Brasov, claims that now, after the takeover of the Ludus sugar factory by two Romanian entrepreneurs, the salvation of the company depends exclusively on the farmers and called on them to start growing sugar beet again.

Sugar Beet

'After 1 year, the Ludus factory has been saved from demolition. The current investors, with financial potential and ideas, aim to revive sugar beet growing in Transylvania. Contracting started recently. The price offered per tonne of beet, the highest in recent years, starts at €45. Beet growing is also supported by a substantial subsidy, double that of previous years.  Farmers are encouraged/requested to grow sugar beet. Now it's up to the farmers to save the factory!', says the Sugar Beet Growers Association 'BETA' Ludus.

Earlier in February, the Sugar Beet Growers Association 'BETA' welcomed the takeover of the Ludus sugar factory by two Romanian entrepreneurs, after the farmers were unable to raise the money needed to buy the factory and for the necessary investments to restart it. 'This transaction represented the rescue of a factory with more than 60 years of existence, which had been closed for more than a year. Ever since the French company Tereos announced its intention to sell the factory and especially in the last year, when they made it public that if they do not complete the transaction by the end of January, insolvency proceedings will be opened against the factory, the Association has made sustained efforts to save the factory', said the farmers grouped in the Association of Sugar Beet Growers 'BETA' Ludus.

BETA claims that its 300 farmers from Mures, Cluj, Sibiu, Alba, Bistrita-Nasaud, Hunedoara, Harghita, Covasna and Brasov counties cultivate sugar beet annually on an area of about 7,000 to 8,000 hectares.

Source: https://agrofood.ro