In the field

In spring, as soon as the ground has dried, the farmer begins to sow the beet seeds. The approx. 5-mm seeds, shaped like circular pills, are placed in the soil using single-seed drills. If the weather is favourable, the first beet shoots can be seen as early as two weeks after sowing. By harvest-time – after approx. 180 days – they grow to imposing beets that weigh 700 – 800 g. Around 80,000 beets with a sugar content of 17 – 19% grow on a hectare of land, producing approx. 8,000 – 9,000 kg of sugar. This amount meets the demands of approx. 230 –260 consumers annually.

During the main growth period, the sugar beet requires sufficient water, nutrients from the soil, warmth and sunlight to be able to grow properly. It receives its nutrients from the topsoil. The roots grow into the soil down to a depth of two metres and thereby contribute decisively to the health of the soil during crop rotation. Among the important cultivated plants, sugar beet makes the most efficient use of solar energy, supplies the greatest amount of oxygen and absorbs the largest amount of carbon dioxide. If you compare a hectare of forest with the same area of sugar beet, the forest provides enough oxygen for the annual needs of 23.

The cultivation of sugar beets requires a great deal of knowledge and skill on the part of the farmer. The sugar factory's cultivation adviser is his partner. The advisor helps with information and recommendations regarding the selection of the right strains, fertiliser use, well-adapted pest control, as well as harvesting and transport. At Pfeifer & Langen and Diamant-Zucker, advisory tasks are planned and co-ordinated by LIZ (Landwirtschaftlicher Informationsdienst Zuckerrübe), the sugar beet agricultural information service, which has 40 qualified advisors available to serve farmers.

The period of harvesting and processing of sugar beets is known as “the campaign”.
In Germany, it begins around mid-September and lasts for 80 - 100 days. Fully mechanical harvesters initially place the sugar beets in storage piles on the edge of the field, from where they are loaded onto transport vehicles via special cleaning machines a few days later.