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| Where did sugar beet sugar start? | to Top |
Europeans grew sugar beets for food and fodder, but in 1744 a German chemist discovered that the sugar from beets was the same as sugar from cane. Napoleon encouraged the fledgling beet sugar industry when his struggle with England resulted in the blockade of all sugar shipments from the Caribbean. In 1811 he issued a decree supporting a vast increase in French beet sugar production. Within two years the French constructed 334 factories and produced 35,000 tons of sugar. Today, most European countries engage in sugar beet cultivation and processing.
The Sugar Association, Inc. Fast Facts About Sugar 1101 15th Street NW, Suite 600, Washington, DC 20005. 202/785-1122
Updated: Saturday, December 29, 2007.
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