CANEGROWERS has announced Queensland’s 2023 sugarcane harvest has reached over 50%, with more than half of the expected 30.1 million tonne crop now cut and crushed at the State’s 19 sugar mills.
Rain early in the season and below-par mill performance had delayed the crush in several districts; however, CANEGROWERS said the long-anticipated El Nino has given optimum harvesting conditions, allowing many areas to catch up in recent weeks.
The Tableland area, which began crushing this year on 21 May, is nearing the end, as is Bundaberg, with both districts crushing more than 75% of their crop. In the meantime, Burdekin, Queensland’s largest cane-growing region, has crushed almost 65% of its expected 8.2 million tonne crop.
However, several regions, such as Innisfail and Plane Creek, have yet to reach the halfway point, while the Rocky Point district still struggles to get its season up and running.
“After falling behind early in the season, the dry weather has helped us make up ground and, if the weather holds and the mills perform as they should, we’re expecting most districts will finish crushing in late-November or early-December,” CANEGROWERS Chairman Owen Menkens said.
“There are a few mill areas, however, where crushing is likely to continue into the Christmas curfew period. Rocky Point in particular is really struggling due to ongoing problems with the mill’s co-generation plant. It’s an infuriating and frustrating situation for growers in the district, and sadly it seems to be a perennial problem,” Menkens stated.
According to him, 40% of Queensland’s cane-growing area is now accredited in the industry-led, government-funded Smartcane BMP best management practice program.
He noted that the industry’s success story is noteworthy, especially considering lower uptake rates in other Australian agriculture sectors, often not even double digits.
“Smartcane BMP is recognised by global sugar sustainability gatekeepers Bonsucro, ProTerra and VIVE as meeting their sustainability criteria. That means 40% of the raw sugar exported from Australia is certified as sustainably produced,” Menskens said.
“This is a huge selling point for Queensland sugar at a time when consumers are actively seeking out sustainable products,” he continued.
He stated that sugarcane growers are investing significant time, money, and effort in proving their sustainability credentials, and CANEGROWERS has collaborated with KPMG to develop a blockchain platform that can trace sustainably cultivated sugarcane from the paddock to the packet.
The responsibility now lies with sugar marketers to ensure growers receive the true value of their products.
“For several years CANEGROWERS has encouraged growers to become certified, not simply to improve their farming systems and increase the efficiency, productivity, and profitability of their businesses, but also on the promise that accreditation would one day attract a premium for their sugar,” Menskens said.
He noted that after much time and effort, Australia is finally on the verge of achieving its goal, as evidenced by the recent shipment of sustainably cultivated sugar to the UK.
“The government is playing its part, opening new markets for Australian sugar, and the growers are certainly doing their bit, adopting sustainable farming practices and seeking Smartcane BMP certification,” he added.
“But if we want to build on the momentum of the Smartcane BMP program and revitalise the industry through diversification, for the benefit of the entire supply chain and the communities in which we operate, then growers must be recognised and rewarded for their efforts.”
