The Delta independent., 1924-02-01
LARGER AVERAGE THAN
EVER FOR SUGAR BETS

The lowly sugar beet has come into
its own. according to indications from
New York and other Eastern centers.
The following from a conservative ex-
change will prove of interest, no doubt,
to our readers:
Now that the Colorado Sugar beet
growers have agreed with representa-
tives Of the Great Western Sugar
company on their contracts for 1924,
the planning and preparation of addi-
tional acreage is progressing rapidly
in the west The new contract guar
antees the grower a minimum of 81. so
ton for his beets and a sliding scale
price at which the factories dispose
of the sugar manufactured from them
will give him from 80 cents to s16O a
ton more from the net price received
by the company for the sugar than
in 1923.
Nebraska growers are expected to
agree TO like contract and the set
tlement undoubtedly will have a
stimulating effect all thru the inter
mountain region. The stimulation to-
ward planting additional acreage has
been intensified by the successful in
vasion of the eastern markets by beet
sugar manufacturers this year, al
though this move tended to keep
prices for refined sugar down to
reasonable limits rather than to boost
them However, it opened markets
hitherto closed to the beet sugar pro
ducers. and stabilized the industry to
no little degree.
1t is estimated that the increased
acreage in Colorado alone next year
will yield 100000 tons of beets and
that under the new contract growers
will receive from 100000 to $780,
600 more than they were paid this
year If present price levels are main
tanned and the sugar content is ap-
proximately the same.
Under the system employed at
recent conference, the growers for the
first time had a direct hand in shap-
ping the 1924 contracts. These are
based on the average net price and
the average sugar content realized
by the company over the last ten
years, and make it possible, under
certain conditions, for the grower to
realize SO per cent OF the proceeds
from a ton Of sugar.
The Michigan factories, which
turned out about 1920 tons Of sugar
this year also are expected to have
yields from an increased acreage to
handle in 1924. Contracts in that
state in most cases are on the so
called fifty-fitty basis; that is, grow
ers are paid for their beets on a scale
according TO what the manufacturers
production sells for during the Oc-
tober-January period. So far in this
period this year. prices have been
about 2 cents higher than in 1922.
This means that growers and manu-
factureTs will each benefit TO the ex-
tent Of cent a pound In that sec
tion. the increased production this
year was handled with but a slight
increase in labor, hauling, handling,
and overhead costs over 1922
Acreage will be planted and cult
waited in 1924 which has never been
utilized before. because OF the sue
cess growers have had in transporting
their crops TO the factories in light
motor trucks. In the Delta district
the increase is expected to be between
so and 20 per cent
Colorado growers were given pay
ments on their 1928 contracts, amount
ing to approximately $500. 900. within
the last few days.
The harvesting Of the Louisiana
cane crop is nearly completed, and
the Weld is estimated at over 25O.-
100000 pounds less than that Of 1922
by state agents OF the bureau OF crop,
estimates. They place the yield at
only SSS,OOO0OO pounds. a few
months ago it was estimated at 52O-
100000 pounds Last years produc-
tion was 512,OOOOOO pounds. The
price received for raw Louisiana suE-
ar has dropped since the opening OF
the season from 7.25 cents pound
to about cents, and the price OF
granulated from 9.15 to $50 cents.
About SIS per cent OF the crop has
been marketed and most OF this
amount brought above : cents a
pound as compared with ~ cents last
year