Sugar beets are important to Alberta’s economy

The Economic Impact of Alberta’s Sugar Beet Industry study shows the industry contributes almost $250 million to Alberta’s economy annually.

‘Sugar beet is a high value crop grown on irrigated land in southern Alberta,’ says Emmanuel Anum Laate, senior crop economist with Alberta Agriculture and Forestry. ‘Although on average, sugar beet share of Alberta’s total harvested crop acres is small, it contributes significantly to Alberta’s crop production and agri-food Gross Domestic Product (GDP).’

Annually, the total economic impact of Alberta’s sugar beet industry (direct, indirect and induced) was estimated at approximately $248.61 million. This includes a GDP impact of over $198 million and a wage or labour income impact of approximately $50 million. The total employment impact generated by the industry is approximately 2,150 jobs annually.

By sector, the annual economic impact from sugar beet farming was estimated at $103.96 million, comprising of a GDP impact of $85.78 million and a wage or labour income impact of $18.19 million. In total, sugar beet farming generates 1,824 jobs annually, 793 direct jobs (335 full-time and 458 temporary) and 1,031 secondary jobs.

The corresponding economic impact from sugar beet processing was estimated at approximately $144.65 million, including a total GDP impact of approximately $112.50 million and a wage or labour income impact of approximately $32.15 million. In total, sugar beet processing generates 326 jobs annually, 182 direct jobs (90 permanent and 92 temporary) and 144 secondary jobs.

‘This report demonstrates that even though the sugar beet share of total harvested provincial crop acres averaged 0.1% in the last 10 years (2010 to 2019), it accounted for approximately 1% of Alberta’s agri-food GDP and approximately 2% of crop production GDP annually,’ says Laate.

Read the Economic Impact of Alberta’s Sugar Beet Industry report, which highlights the contributions of the sugar beet industry to the provincial economy in terms of GDP, wage or labour income, and employment.