Talks are finally set to resume between farmers' leaders and British Sugar in a bid to resolve a bitter stand-off over next year's beet contracts.

British Sugar sparked outrage earlier this month by making a price offer to the 2,300 beet growers which supply its factories - while active negotiations were still under way with industry representatives from the National Farmers' Union's sugar board (NFU Sugar).

The processor says it made a "competitive offer" to growers who had been calling for "the security of a contract" after months of talks had failed to reach an agreement.

But NFU Sugar, which wants a "fairer" pricing structure to reflect high world sugar prices, said the unilateral offer was made "outside of the well-established process" - so it would not restart negotiations until it had been withdrawn.

Now British Sugar has agreed to "temporarily pause" its contracting to allow both parties to get back around the negotiating table - sparking hopes of a resolution to the dispute.

British Sugar agriculture director Daniel Green wrote to growers, saying: "British Sugar will be temporarily pausing contracting and seed ordering for the 2024/25 beet contract from 10am on November 22. This is in order to help facilitate negotiations with NFU Sugar and endeavour to agree prices and terms for next year’s contract.

"British Sugar and NFU Sugar have agreed that negotiations will recommence this week, aiming to agree a contract for next year as soon as possible."

After earlier calls for government intervention under the 1984 Food Act, Defra urged both parties to resume talks and find a "mutually acceptable outcome" on a fair price for the 2024-25 season.