DEFRA DELAYS DECISION ON BRITISH SUGAR'S APPLICATION TO RELINQUISH QUOTAS
Conservative MEP Robert Sturdy has criticised DEFRA as sugar beet farmers across the UK are still waiting to hear whether British Sugar’s application to relinquish 13.5% of its quotas has been accepted.
The government department was meant to have made a decision in the first week of December, but they told the NFU that they have taken British Sugar’s offer to the European Commission, whose lawyers are working on the case.
Mr Sturdy said:
“Once again, DEFRA has missed deadlines and farmers are being left in the dark, incapable of planning for the future due to incompetent administration at the top.
"Many farmers have already signed up for the Growers’ Initiative, which would in effect be overridden if British Sugar’s offer is accepted. DEFRA needs to make clear cut decisions about British farming, rather than passing the buck on to the European Commission. I would suggest it as New Year’s resolution, but farmers need to know what the situation is right now, and whether the Growers’ Initiative is to stand.”
