Czech sugarbeets up sharply, but short of forecast

In the Czech Republic, the sugarbeet area for ethanol production was 9,059 ha during 2011/12, up from 8,163 ha the year before but down from the expected 10,900 ha. Total sugarbeet use for ethanol was 740,098 metric tons, up from the expected 660,000 tons and up even more from the 452,002 tons used the year before. About 50,000 ha of sugarbeet were planted overall during the season.