LICHT SEES STAGNANT EUROPEAN BEET AREA

  The overall area devoted to sugar
  beet in Europe is forecast to remain stagnant this year at 7.22
  mln hectares compared with 7.21 mln ha in 1986, West German
  statistician F.O. Licht said.
      It was feared that the recent steep rise in sugar prices
  would have a marked effect on planting intentions this year,
  Licht said, but judging by this first estimate the effect was
  probably minimal.
      The total beet area in the European Community is forecast
  to fall two pct to 1.85 mln ha against 1.89 mln in 1986.
      The total Western Europe area is put at 2.49 mln ha,
  against 2.50 mln in 1986. Eastern Europe area is forecast at
  4.73 mln ha against 4.72 mln.
      Individual West Europe country estimates, in 1,000 hectares
  (with 1986 figures in brackets), are, Belgium/Luxembourg 114
  (118), Denmark 69 (69), France 419 (421), Greece 35 (44),
  Ireland 36 (38), Italy 270 (275), Netherlands 129 (138),
  Portugal 1 (1), Spain 192 (190), U.K. 200 (201), West Germany
  385 (399), Austria 32 (28), Finland 30 (31), Sweden 51 (52),
  Switzerland 15 (14), Turkey 355 (340), Yugoslavia 160 (136).
      Eastern Europe plantings are forecast as follows, USSR 3400
  (3440), Albania 10 (9), Bulgaria 52 (50), Czechoslovakia 195
  (196), East Germany 210 (205), Hungary 108 (96), Poland 460
  (440), Romania 295 (280).
      On the basis of average yields this year, Licht said these
  area forecasts pointed to a total European beet sugar crop in
  1987/88 of 29.8 mln tonnes, raw value, down from 31.4 mln
  tonnes in 1986/87. Licht said sugar yields were fairly high
  last season, thanks to favourable weather, and this increases
  the chances of a significant reduction in production in
  1987/88.
      Based on average yields, EC beet sugar production could
  fall nearly 10 pct this year to 13.5 mln tonnes from 14.9 mln
  in 1986/87, while total Western Europe production could be 16.9
  mln tonnes against 18.1 mln. Eastern Europe production could be
  12.9 mln tonnes against 13.3 mln in 1986/87.
  

