The sugar industry’s evolution traced through news

Canegrowers Queensland chairman Paul Schembri says the Daily Mercury has been there for the industry’s successes and tribulations

FOR 150 years the Daily Mercury has chronicled the Mackay region's sugar industry, from the days of hand cultivation to a new era of cutting-edge technology.

Canegrowers Queensland chairman Paul Schembri said the paper had been there for all of the industry's successes as well as its trials and tribulations.

"Mackay is the sugar capital of Australia so the Daily Mercury has been an integral, pivotal part of our history," Mr Schembri said.

He recalled the Mercury reporting on each district mill's crush tonnage in its weekly Crush Report and the "friendly rivalry" that would ensue.

"Every week the Mercury would publish a report during the crush," he said.

"It was one of those pieces … that every farmer or anyone that had the Daily Mercury would look forward to."

"One of the fascinating and outstanding features of the Australian sugar industry was the way it has evolved into a world class industry," Mr Schembri said.

"(The Mercury) has chronicled all of those changes.

"It's an important part of our life," he said.

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