Three record crops in a 5 year span seemed impossible to many of us when 25.4 tons per acre with 8,942 lbs. of recoverable sugar per acre was achieved in 2006. The 5 year average statistics show a yield of 24.6 tons per acre with 17.72 % sugar, 8,171 pounds recoverable sugar per acre and a 1.12 % SLM. So what are realistic limits for sugarbeet production in the next 5 years? An in-depth look at the record crop for 2010 might well give us a look at what is achievable for future sugarbeet crops.

2010 Yield Trends for the RRV

• The top growing unit yield was 36.38 ton/acre on over 600 acres
• 99 growing units averaged over 30 tons per acre
• 178 growing units averaged over 29 tons per acre

2010 Sugar Trends for the RRV

• The top growing unit averaged 19.39% on over 250 acres
• 17 growing units averaged over 19 % sugar
• 148 growing units were over 18.5 % sugar

2010 Sugar Loss to Molasses Trends for the RRV

• Two growing units had 0.78 % SLM
• 58 growing units averaged less than 0.90 % SLM
• A remarkable 305 growing units averaged less than 1.00 % SLM

2010 Recoverable Sugar Trends for the RRV

• One growing unit topped 12,000 lbs. RSA on over 700 acres
• 17 growing units averaged over 11,000 lbs. RSA
• 162 growing units produced more than 10,000 lbs. RSA

The top producers were geographically distributed throughout the RRV. A total of 770 growing units produced sugarbeets for American Crystal Sugar Company in 2010.