International sugar conference arrives in Cairns to sweeten cane industry’s future

Government intervention to provide certainty into the future was just one of the many topics covered at a historic international sugar cane growers summit held in Cairns last week.

Delegates from around the world gathering in Cairns this week for the World Association of Beets and Cane Growers annual conference include Farmers Federation president David Johinkey and Canegrowers chairman Owen Menkens. Picture: Tim Little

The Far North got a rare chance last week to promote its iconic sugar industry to international delegates for the first time in more than two decades.

As North Queensland cane growers began the first crush of the season industry leaders from more 18 countries gathered last week for the World Association of Beet and Cane Growers annual conference that took place over three days.

Farmers Federation president David Jochinke said the rare event was an acknowledgment of just how important the industry was to the region and how well it competes internationally.

Industry leaders are calling for government help to address consistent issues in building a young workforce and finding ways to value add to the industry moving forward.

“We have got over 80 delegates from 18 different countries talking about the production of not only sugar, but also the different techniques that they use,” he said.

“We are seeing conversations around those challenges of pests, weeds, diseases, or even international trade, but this is the only forum internationally that we can actually have these discussions with other nations and actually share those ideas.

“To have it locally, in our own backyard, is a huge acknowledgment to this area, but also an acknowledgment of its importance to Australia.”

Australia exports about $2bn worth of sugar each year with the vast majority grown in Queensland, making the nation the fourth largest sugar exporter in the world.

WABCG president David Thompson said despite different borders and climates there were common issues that united all growers.

Sugar industry leaders from more 18 countries gathered last week for the World Association of Beet and Cane Growers annual conference.

“Every country has their own government issues, it's not isolated in Australia its not isolated in France it not isolated in the United States,” he said.

“You can’t control mother nature and weeds, it's the resistant weeds we are having to do more with chemicals and different chemicals nowadays.”

Heavy rainfall and consistent wet weather meant that in 2024 more than a million tonnes of sugarcane was unable to be harvested.

Canegrowers chair Owen Menkens said despite last year’s tough season, industry leaders were hoping to learn as much as possible and understand how the industry can value add. He said government intervention was needed to provide certainty into the future.

“We can learn from the delegates today … a lot of the countries have government policies which really help the sugar industry and we can definitely learn from that,” Mr Menkens said.

“Biofuel is one of the options that is out there for us and bio energy as well, so there’s a few different options and both those need government intervention in some way to try and stimulate the investment to create those products.”

The international affair wrapped up on Friday and included exclusive farm tours across cane and coffee properties across the tablelands and Cairns region.

Originally published as International sugar conference arrives in Cairns to sweeten cane industry’s future