Sugar beet lifting got off to a “mind-blowing” start on one Cambridgeshire farm, after yields hit over 100t/ha.

One 26ha (65-acre) unirrigated field on Oliver Walston’s farm at Thriplow, south of Cambridge, yielded 2734t – equivalent to an adjusted yield of 104t/ha.

“Last year we managed 85t/ha, which was a record, but to beat that by 25% is unbelievable,” he said. “We didn’t do anything different in terms of managing the crop; it’s purely down to the weather.”

Sugar contents had been equally impressive, averaging over 19%, compared with 16.5-17% normally, he added.

“The next field, which is a similar size, will be lifted in about six weeks’ time, so hopefully that should do just as well as the first.”

After speaking to British Sugar, Mr Walston reckoned he was not alone in having sugar beet yields that had exceeded 100t/ha.

Have you seen similarly impressive sugar beet yields this year? If so, tell us about it in the FWi Forum.