Comparisons of the Trends in Sugar Yields in Leading Beet and Cane Producing Countries

This paper analyses the technological advances which have taken place on both the field and factory sides of sugar production in the past 30 years. It focuses on three leading sugar producers; Australia, France and South Africa. It finds that the greatest technological gains have been made in the beet sector (France). All three countries have improved the efficiency of their factory operations and it is unlikely that further significant gains can be made in these areas. The greatest differences between these countries lie in the performance of their field operations. The French industry has made great strides in beet yields, while advances in cane yields, by comparison, have been unimpressive. The paper concludes that one important reason for the difference between the field performances of the beet and cane sectors is the ownership of seed research and development (R&D) in the two sectors. Beet seed R&D is typically undertaken by private companies, while cane R&D is carried out by public bodies which are sponsored by the cane industry.