Storm Season Looms By Kevin Borg, Chairman, CANEGROWERS Mackay

It seems the storm season has arrived, potentially throwing another spanner in the works of the 2024 harvest.
In the week of 8-14 October, we saw rainfall across the region, with some localised totals up to 81mm for the week.
On the one hand, it is not surprising to see the onset of rainfall at this point in the year. A glance at the Bureau of Meteorology graphic shows the date range we can start to expect rain. We are in a more neutral climate state at present; however, we are in the “build-up”. The graphics pictured drive home the very good reasons that we should expect to be cutting out in mid-November. The onset of rain, tag-teaming with warmer temperatures to create storm season has a range of effects on the crop.

First of all, the cane plant returns to its growth cycle, and sugar content drops away. Also, where we are still harvesting, late cut crops ratoon poorly, severely affecting next year’s crop. A drive up the Pioneer Valley will show some paddocks that look a bit stunted and raggedy. This is the effect that late cut cane from last year has had on this year’s crop.
If storm season does set in, it could be difficult to finish removing the crop. With industrial action in Plane Creek and mill reliability issues across Mackay and Plane Creek, we are already well behind. In Plane Creek, at week ending 13 October we had processed 52% of the crop. In Mackay, we were at 57% at 12 October. It is a particularly poor situation to be in at this time of the year.

Delayed finishes to the harvest also interfere with work to be done in the paddocks, that particularly needs to be carried out before the monsoonal onset, such as fertiliser and chemical application. This is important for the crop, but also particularly important for environmental stewardship.

Growers are increasingly proactive on avoiding situations that could lead to run-off, and it’s imperative these inputs stay where they are needed: in the paddock.

This is a key part of best management practices, and Smartcane BMP is a cornerstone of our industry maintaining its strong record as a producer of some of the world’s most sustainably-produced sugar.

Among other things, BMP creates a clear system for fertiliser and chemical usages, and record-keeping parameters. We have had solid and growing uptake on the Smartcane BMP program, and I would encourage any growers that have not yet taken the next step of accreditation to get on board.

Most farmers are keeping good records and have engaged in practice change around timing and rates of application, so realistically, it is just a matter of formalising that by working with your BMP facilitators at Mackay and Plane Creek’s productivity services ahead of accreditation audit. Most growers are 95% there anyway.

The audit process is made easy by the BMP facilitators, and accreditation makes you less likely to have to undergo a government audit. It is well worth taking the steps now to organise completing your Smartcane BMP modules when the slack season finally comes.

It does appear that - provided wet weather does not wash the season out - the harvest will run into Christmas again. To that end, CANEGROWERS has once again successfully driven an agreement for the sugar industry with the National Heavy Vehicle Regulator, QLD Transport & Main Roads and Queensland Police Service, to allow permits to operate during the heavy vehicle Christmas curfew that runs 24 December to 3 January. It certainly is not the preferred option for industry or regulators, but we are thankful for their cooperation in helping us remove the crop. I’d like to congratulate our Mackay District Manager Michelle Martin and CANEGROWERS Senior Manager-Industry Burn Ashburner, for their work to achieve this for industry.

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Northern Rainfall Onset. Graphics: Commonwealth of Australia 2022, Australian Bureau of Meteorology

Late cut ratoon at right, versus an earlier cut

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