The French sugar beet industry, which meets about 90 percent of the country’s sugar needs, is the largest producer of sugar beets in the European Union and ranks second globally. Despite major changes in the sector over the last two decades, it now faces challenges related to staying competitive and protecting the environment. In 2025, 400,000 hectares of land were used for growing sugar beets, slightly below the average of 422,000 hectares seen over the past ten years. However, the yield per hectare was 89.4 tons, higher than the ten-year average of 82 tons. This year, though, is expected to bring an unusually low harvest due to extreme weather conditions this summer. France’s national sugar demand has remained stable at around 2.6 million tons over the past five years, with nearly 90 percent of this demand met by domestic production, according to Agreste, the statistics service of the Ministry of Agriculture. The country also enjoys a trade surplus of 1 billion euros annually in sugar-related activities. However, the industry is concerned about unfair competition at the European level and in international trade agreements. For example, some member states still allow the use of a pesticide called acetamiprid, which has been banned in France since 2019. Additionally, many free trade agreements include provisions that allow for lower tariffs or import quotas on sugar, which, while individually small, collectively pose a challenge to the European sugar industry. The industry also depends heavily on imported mineral nitrogen fertilizers, which have become increasingly expensive. In the north-east of France, where most sugar beet farms are located, fertilizer costs range from 196 to 302 euros per hectare, and could have reached as high as 593 euros per hectare in recent years. This rising cost adds pressure to the sector’s already tight margins. Another major challenge is the industry’s contribution to greenhouse gas emissions. The sugar sector produces about 2 million tons of CO2 annually, making it the largest emitter among agri-food industries. While emissions have decreased by 30 percent between 1990 and 2012 and by 15 percent between 2017 and 2022, the industry remains energy-intensive, relying heavily on carbon-based fuels. The seasonal nature of the business also requires three times more energy than industries that operate year-round. To address these environmental concerns, the industry has proposed a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 35 percent by 2030 through the use of methanization and burning beet pulp. However, this approach raises questions about resource conflicts, as beet pulp is also used as animal feed. Additionally, the timing of methanization digestate production—during a period of low nitrogen demand by crops—means it may need to be stored until it can be used effectively. Finally, the industry is also dealing with the limited availability of certain pesticides, especially the ban on neonicotinoids, which are harmful to bees. The National Plan for Research and Innovation (PNRI) has proposed several methods to protect sugar beets from pests and diseases, such as using companion plants, biological controls, and preventive measures. In the meantime, an emergency law has allowed the temporary use of flupyradifurone, a pesticide similar to neonicotinoids, for treating beet seeds, despite its ban in France since 2020.