British Sugar has announced its 2013/14 factory campaign start dates.

The firm, which consulted with the National Farmers Union and growers over the timings, which govern when farmers can start to harvest their crop and get it to the factory, says the campaign will start in a fortnight.

The Newark and Wissington factories begin their campaign first, on September 17, followed by the Bury St Edmunds plant which gets going on September 19. Cantley starts on September 24.

British Sugar’s agriculture director Colm McKay said, “This season’s campaign start dates have been chosen to strike a balance between grower harvesting plans, maximising the crop potential and deliveries of sugar to our customers.”

British Sugar is the leading supplier to the British and Irish food and beverage markets. Around 3,600 growers supply its four factories with 7.5million tonnes of sugar beet each year, which it processes into more than 1m tonnes of sugar.