At a recent Beet Ireland meeting, from left, Chris Hill (IFA) Pat Cleary (Beet Ireland) Michael Hoey (Beet Ireland) Cllr John Clendennen and John Coughlan (IFA).

Clendennen backs efforts to restart beet industry

Offaly farmers could benefit from the re-establishment of the sugar beet industry in Ireland.

That's according to Cllr John Clendennen, who this week welcomed the efforts of the lobby group Beet Ireland to resurrect the country's sugar beet industry.

Beet Ireland are currently exploring the viability of a sugar beet cooperative with a processing plant on the Kildare/Carlow border, which would have a crop collection radius that would include Offaly and Laois.

“At recent meetings hosted by Beet Ireland, attendees were invited to subscribe to a new sugar beet cooperative as an equity stakeholder, the initial step in the process will require 1,000 growers to invest €1,000, and it is anticipated that the interest in this process will determine the demand,” according to Cllr. Clendennen.

While “the abolition of EU sugar quotas provides the platform to re-establish the sector in Ireland”, Cllr Clendennen says that there is “significant work to be carried out regarding a feasibility study but if it deems the sector to be sustainable, it would be a major opportunity for job creation and local tillage farmers if a desirable price for the crop can be achieved”.

Generation of bioethanol may also be an opportunity.