In Austria, the weevil destroyed 10% of sugar beet crops

In Austria, beet growers are being forced to sit still as thousands of hectares of beet are destroyed by the weevil, reports Agrarheute.

Since this year, the European Union has banned the use of neonicotinoids as a means of protecting beets, even in emergency cases. As a result, there are no effective ways to control some beet pests. In Austria, this ban has led to mass reproduction of the weevil and significant damage.

About 4,000 of Austria's 38,000 ha of beets were so badly damaged this year that they had to be plowed up.

The Austrian Producers' Association estimates that around 2,500-3,000 ha have been re-sown with sugar beet. However, these new plantings are also under threat.