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Sugar-Twin Falls, Idaho

By Lorraine Cavener, Magic Valley The Times-New
October 9, 2001
 
TWIN FALLS -- With only 15 percent of the sugar beet crop harvested it is too early to tell if low sugar content seen during the first part of harvest will be of any significance to this year's total crop.
      This year's low sugar content is only relative to a comparison of past years, said Leonard Kerbs, ag manager for Amalgamated Sugar Co. in Twin Falls
      "We were spoiled the last two years," Kerbs said.
      If one compare October of this year to October of last year and the year before, this could be considered a low year, he added.
      Sugar content will most likely increase as temperatures cool further into the season, Kerbs said.
      "Each day beets are growing sugar comes up," he said.
      It is not unusual for sugar content to be lower on Sept. 20 than it is on Oct. 20, Kerbs said. However consideration should be given to a comparison of years overall.
      "It was high last year and the year before," he said. "This is more like a normal year. It's better than 1998, which was a real low year."
      Kerbs, who uses line graphs to correlate low content to high temperature, said he is encouraged by seeing temperatures such as those on Sept. 30.
      "The posting for that morning was 38 degrees," he said.
      The ag manager keeps tabs on weather posted at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration government weather station at Kimberly. Those postings can be found on the Bureau of Land Management web page.
      Low temperatures of 34 degrees and 37 degrees showed on Sept. 9 and 10, Kerbs said. A few lows were seen in August and September. October has shown some near freezing temperatures.
      "We still have not received lows like 1999 and 2000," he said.
      But that doesn't mean temperatures will not drop before the 85 percent of the crop, still in the ground, is harvested.
      "If nights are cooler, respiration is slower and more sugar will be made," Kerbs said.
      Lower night temperatures toward the end of September and the beginning of October are encouraging.
      "On cooler nights the crop will put more sugar into the roots," he added.
      John Schorr, ag manager for the Amalgamated's Paul factory, said when harvest started out some fields had low sugars.
      "Now it is starting to rise," he said. "We need to have some cooler nights and cooler days. That will help the process."
      Mark Duffin, executive director of Idaho Sugarbeet Growers Association, said low sugar content can affect what the grower is paid.
      "Growers are paid on incentive," Duffin said. "A lower price is paid if the sugar content is lower."
      An incentive paid for digging earlier creates some compensation.
      "Growers will argue whether it is enough to make up the difference," Duffin said.
      But he sees nothing unusual with finding low sugar content this early, saying, "Traditionally low sugar is found early in the season."
      While it's early in the season Schorr is remaining optimistic.
      "It is the end of early harvest," he said. "We are starting regular harvest this Saturday."
      Kerbs is also optimistic, saying, "I'm in anticipation that it's still coming up," he said. "It still could happen."