Beet Ireland is expected to make an announcement regarding its plans for the future in the coming weeks. The organisation met last weekend and will release a statement in five to six weeks, AgriLand has been told.

It is unclear how many farmers have put forward €1,000 to join a grower co-operative, in the hope of eventually being able to supply beet to a new plant.

However, the group does not have any plans to hold anymore grower meetings in the near future.

€1,000 from 1,000 growers

At the beginning of November Beet Ireland declared that it was looking for 1,000 growers to invest €1,000 in a grower’s co-operative which would form part of the revival of the beet industry in this country.

The €1 million, if collected, is to cover planning, investor and financial costs in the early stages of the development of a new plant.

€1 million in the form of a site – at Ballyburn, Co. Kildare – is to be invested into the plan by Beet Ireland, following the collection of the money from growers.

AgriLand reported in November that a new company would then be formed by Beet Ireland and the growers co-operative.

Beet Ireland consists of six directors:
  • Brian Arnold;
  • Chris Harmon;
  • Jim O’Regan;
  • Michael Hoey;
  • Pat Cleary;
  • Simon Cross.
Also Read: Interview: Details on beet industry revival – ‘a rare opportunity’

Beet Ireland held grower meetings in counties Carlow, Kildare, Tipperary and Wexford in November and December 2018. Attendance and interest was high at the meetings. We await for further details.