Beet Sugar on the Continent 



The great center of beet sugar production is the continent of Europe, 

 particularly Germany. The estimated world output of beet sugar for the 

 season 1921-22 was nearly 4,000,000 tons under that for the season of 1912-13, 

 due chiefly to the apparent inability of the European industry to regain its 

 pre-war standing. It seems to be the consensus of opinion that it will be 

 many years before this restoration may be accomplished. In the following 

 table we have presented the estimates of Willett and Gray, sugar statisticians, 

 regarding European beet sugar production for the season 1913-14 and 1921-22 

 with the percentage relationship of the latter to the former crop. 



European Beet Sugar Production 



(Thousand Tons) 



% 1921-22 crop 

 1913-14 1921-22 to 1913-14 crop 



Germany ................. 2,618 1,330 54% 



Czecho-Slovakia ........... /. ,. fi ., 6601 4A07 



Austria and Hungary ....... \ l >** 79 / * /0 



France ................... 717 278 39% 



Belgium .................. 229 300 131% 



Holland .................. 229 376 164% 



Russia and Poland ......... 1,688 274 16% 



Sweden .................. 137 227 165% 



Denmark ................. 146 145 100% 



Italy ..................... 305 200 66% 



Spain .................... 169 135 80% 



S j The table indicates that Germany, Russia, and Poland and 



Recovery Austria Hungary were the most important pre-war beet sugar 

 of Beet ^ producers. Germany's estimated 1921-22 production was only 

 54% of her pre-war output, and Russia and Poland together 

 produced only 16% of their former output. While Czecho-Slovakia has re- 

 vived her sugar industry with considerable energy, her total output was only 

 about 39% of the former output of Austria Hungary. Most of the produc- 

 tion in 1921-22 for Russia and Poland was for Poland alone, and to what 

 extent the Russian industry may recover is extremely problematical. 



"There are certain factors w T hich tend to retard the recovery 



tj* c% r* |- f\ o 



Retarding ^ Europe's industry," says Facts About Sugar, "and which 

 European may prevent it from regaining its former relative importance. 



6 ? t Studies of crop statistics for the past seasons show that the 



average yields have been constantly below those of the 



years before the war, reflecting a depletion of soil fertility which cannot 



be quickly restored in view of economic conditions. The urgent demand 



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