Mackay sugar cane goes over rollers earlier than hoped

There’ll be toasts around the farmers’ tables as the sugar crush gets off to an early start but there are concerns it could have costly consequences.

The cut-in parties have started as Mackay sugarcane farmers and harvester contractors mark the start of the 2021 crush season.

Farleigh Mill officially starts this Thursday, followed by Marian Mill on Thursday, June 10 and Racecourse Mill on Friday, June 11.

Canegrowers Mackay Area Committee chairman Joseph Borg said the majority were “ready to roll” with harvesting already under way.

“We’re looking at 5.3 million tonnes up over the rollers, that’s up from 5.1 million tonnes last year,” Mr Borg said.

“Certainly the feeling is very good in and around the crop size, especially the northeast area up around Calen and Pindi Pindi.

“The previous two years they had very poor crops due to not a lot of rainfall.

“Generally speaking, out of the majority of growers, only one or two say their (crop) is worse than last year.”

Canegrowers Mackay Area Committee chairman Joseph Borg.

Mr Borg said they were also confident about sugar prices but this was somewhat hampered by Nordzucker choosing to start crushing early.

“The reasoning for that is the unpredictability around the reliability of the mills,” he said.

“It certainly is a bit earlier than what we would have liked.

“The cane is very, very green at the current time and I think the (commercial cane sugar content) is going to struggle.

“Ideally, if you went back to the good old days, it started after the Mackay show.

“By the third week in June, you’ve usually had a couple of frosts — cold weather and frost is what rises the sugar content.”

Mr Borg said with Nordzucker’s investment, they hoped to return to the later start in a few year’s time.

But for now, he said farmers were at the mercy of the mill’s performance and mother nature which could bring “very much unpredictable weather” in a “wonderful part” of the world.

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Canegrowers, together with the Australian Cane Farmers Association and Mackay Sugar Limited have asked residents to be vigilant around cane train and haul out vehicles and stay off sugar cane railway lines, sidings and farms.

“These are not public areas and are private property and worksites to which normal workplace conditions and inductions apply,” their joint statement said.

“Fines can apply if you are found trespassing on these areas.

“The safety of our industry workers as well as the general public is the single most important factor to our harvest period.”

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Originally published as Mackay sugar cane goes over rollers earlier than hoped