Context
Rachel Taylor visited Boultbees farm in Baxterley, North Warwickshire where she met Andrew and his team who grow sugar beet. They sell the product to British Sugar as it is the only processor of UK sugar beet.
Question
In visiting Boultbees farm in Baxterley, I saw how farmers like Andrew are obligated to sell their sugar beet to British Sugar, the sole processor in the UK. Despite common market organisation regulation for fair negotiations on price, British Sugar has sought to circumvent it. What measures are being taken by the government to strengthen protections for farmers such as Andrew and ensure a fair deal in the combinable crops sector?
Answer from The Minister for Food Security and Rural Affairs (Dame Angela Eagle)
We are committed to promoting fairness across the food supply chain, including achieving a fair price for sugar beet that benefits both growers and processors. There is an established independent process in place to agree on the sugar beet price. We continue to review this process and the regulatory framework. The Government has also launched a public consultation on fairness and transparency in the combinable crops supply chain, which is open for eight weeks, encouraging all interested parties to engage and share their views.
Not addressed: The specific measures requested by the questioner were not detailed. The Minister referenced ongoing review but did not specify any concrete actions or timelines for protecting sugar beet growers from unfair practices.
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