The Cost Of Delay A Growing Burden For Cane Growers

Sonia Ball, QCAR Central District Manager
In response to a well-known song line penned by John Fogerty (Creedence Clearwater Revival) – we have indeed seen the rain. As expected in the wet season.
In this forever predictable and forecast rainy period, which comes year-after-year, no-one should still be sloshing around in the mud trying to cut sugarcane that in more idyllic times would have been harvested in far drier conditions a month or so earlier.
And it is not just the Central District, all over the state our millers (generally speaking) have failed to perform and fulfil their obligations to process the sugarcane crop in a reasonable timeframe, and in the accepted optimal period based on the crop cycle.
Warts and all, the 2024 season is now as good as history for most. But not for our growers who are again burdened with carrying the massive weight of the costs and losses associated with standover, as well as the impact to next year’s crop.
We understand some of the broader issues impacting our mills and millers, and we do concede that amid what appeared to be coordinated disarray that there were indeed some unpredictable and understandable problems.
Overall, I am sure however, that all millers, harvesting contractors, growers and workers including representative organisations, can agree we (and when I say ‘we’ I mean ‘them’) need to do better.
Our sugarcane farmers cannot continue to carry the burden of poor milling performance.
Being an optimist in this situation is about as handy as a butter knife at a wood chopping contest – we are going to need a bigger knife. Money may not buy happiness, but it sure does help with a good start and it’s something for the custodians of our millers’ coffers to consider. Cracking the lock on these fortified chests alone is not enough. Accompanying any heavy satchel of good will would need to be a well-thought out ‘new’ strategic and corrective plan of action, because the one we (and when I say ‘we’ I mean ‘them’) are using is clearly not working.
Just as our members, and all sugarcane growers need to find their workforce, prepare their annual crop with planting, fertilising, spraying and harvesting, so too does the miller need to take whatever steps are necessary to take care and manage its own obligations and responsibilities.  
At the time of writing this column, in the Central District only Mackay Sugar had yet to call it a day on the 2024 season. Mackay Sugar has some contractors and growers who understandably want to get as much cane off as possible. The conundrum of course for other growers is that this will impact the overall relative CCS while bearing little financial gain for the miller or grower if the quality of the cane is as poor as reported. It will also impact on the time the miller has to prepare for a good start, on time, to the now not-so-far-away 2025 season.
Mackay Sugar, now in its 32nd week, has been plagued with various issues with the predominant impact being the performance (cough) of Marian Mill.
Mackay Sugar’s 2024 season is still underway with 4.71M tonnes of the 5.23M tonne estimate processed by week ending 29 December. While there are still variables to consider the current estimate of standover is around 500,000 tonnes.
Wilmar’s Proserpine Mill shut down officially on 17 December with no throughput for the preceding week due to torrential rain. 1.67M tonnes of cane was processed from the 1.73M tonne estimate. While not confirmed, there is a conservative estimate of around 60,000 tonnes of standover.
Wilmar’s Plane Creek Mill put the last cane through on 4 December after a 27-week season processing 1.3M of the forecast 1.51M tonne crop. The estimate was revised downward late in the season, with estimated standover around 158,000 tonnes.
C’mon Mr (or other appropriate honorific) Miller - you’ve got this!

Please call Sonia Ball, 0467 573 321, to make an appointment on farm in Mackay, Proserpine or Plane Creek. Update your details, apply for dual QCAR ACFA membership, learn more about QCAR, call for a chat or arrange a one-on-one meeting.

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The 2024 season is leaving its muddy mark on farms still harvesting in the Mackay region
It’s been a long, hard slog getting the Mackay region cane crop into the mill despite heavy widespread rain across the region
Machinery and equipment are leaving deep ruts over farms as Mackay growers and contractors give the end of the 2024 season a red hot go

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