Yeah, things are different in the UK and with their EU trade rules I think sugar cane would most likely have to be imported from outside the EU and consequently would face tariffs.
Another thing about the UK is because it usually rains so much they don't bother to store much water so it doesn't take much for them to be in a drought situation.
From the link sugar beet seems to be a rotation crop.
On average 7.5 million tonnes of sugar beet is grown each year in the UK. It is delivered an average distance of 28 miles to reach British Sugar's factories.
Sugar beet is a cornerstone crop of arable rotations and is commonly grown in conjunction with wheat, barley or pulses. It provides a valuable break crop returning organic matter to the soil and preventing the build-up of disease.
