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Increasing Importance of Road Transport in SugarBeet Industry.

10th July 1928, Page 97
10th July 1928
Page 97
Page 97, 10th July 1928 — Increasing Importance of Road Transport in SugarBeet Industry.
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Which of the following most accurately describes the problem?

THERE is little doubt that, having once been started, the sugar-beet industry in this country has come to stay. Many lessons in the development of the undertaking have had to be learned. At the moment the fact is beginning to dawn upon our people that there may not have been the need to build the large factories that were constructed in different parts of the country. These factories were, of course, modelled on the continental pattern. But it is now realized that the conditions prevailing upon the Continent, making the large factories a necessity there, do not exist here. Consequently, the coining of more factories, but smaller ones, fed by road transport, is foreshadowed.

One of the important facilities we have, but which do not prevail in the beet-growing countries of the Continent is good roads. The large factory is by this very fact rendered out of place in this country. One of the biggest difficulties which face the beet-sugar industry here is the high cost of transporting the raw product. Growers situated near the factory are well /avoured. They can load UP—the roots in the field and take them direct to the factory without the cost of intervening railway expenses. The building of big factories in England has. however, had the effect of

• throwing a good deal of beet haulage upon the railways, the charges of which are much higher than they are in Europe or America. It is stated that rates in these countries are one-third or a half of what they are here.

The building of n. large number of small factories Instead a a small number of large ones, which prac

ticaliy amounts to the taking of the factory to the farmer, will mean not only a considerable increase in the average of beet grown, but will make road transport the predominant agency for hauling to and from the factory. Already beet is taken many miles by road, but as most of the factories are situated very widely apart, this is not practicable in every case, and the assistance of the railway has to be called upon. This fact at once increases the cost of producing the raw material. Railway rates are heavy• enough, btz when the labour bill for repeated loadings and unloadlags is added to this the coseis great. Everyone knows that when once a load is in the lorry and out on the road the extra cost of travelling a few miles is comparatively small.

Attention is called to the matter here because it Is confidently held by sound authorities that there are contemplated processes of manufacture which will render the small factory economically possible in every direction and bring about an important change that will be more advantageous to Britain than to any other country and place her in the front ranks of the business. Three points will do much for Britain. These are: (1) Its compactness; (2) its good roads; and (3) the fact that it is only at the start of the enterprise.

Thus it will be seen how very imartant the beetsugar industry is likely to 'become to the road-transport world. Everyone interested in motor-haulage undertakings should keep an eye on developments.

AGRIMOT.

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