• The Luduș sugar factory will be taken over by sugar beet producers from Transylvania.
On October 12, 2022, according to the statements of Teodor Aflat, the largest sugar beet grower in Transylvania and the main initiator of the action to take over the factory, "the first step was taken to negotiate the purchase of the factory by the farmers in the center of the country, so that the factory of sugar from Ludus to be productive again and to ensure a part of the sugar requirement, i.e. 25% of the sugar requirement in Romania. I say that it is one of the most important events in the country, at the current time, taking into account that in Romania, out of 33 sugar factories, only two will operate next year."
The offer of the group of Romanian farmers from Transylvania to the French patronage of the Tereos SA group, the owner of the Luduș factory, was the purchase of over 98% of the shares. This one action it comes at a time when many sugar beet growers had already given up hope on the continuation of the processing activity at Luduș. In the counties of central Transylvania there are several hundred sugar beet growers who depend on this factory.
Hope for sugar beet growers
If in previous years sugar beet was cultivated on 4.000 hectares, this year, according to the statements of the Executive Director of the Mureș County Agriculture Directorate (DAJ), Ileana Gușatu, only 350 hectares of sugar beet were cultivated in the area. It is hoped that the resumption of the sugar beet processing plant in Luduș will encourage farmers to cultivate more sugar beet, especially since the area of Transylvania is suitable for this crop.
A quarter of the domestic sugar consumption requirement of 500.000 tons per year was provided until last year from sugar beet cultivated in Romania. However, although production is much lower than in previous years, the price is very good this year and the continued activity of the processing plant supports farmers' hope of maintaining the optimum price.
Article written by Gabriela Dan, Editor of Arta Albă.
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