Insight Focus
Christmas rain boosted crops, but weeds surged across farms. Minor flooding and Cyclone Koji caused little damage, leaving one of the strongest crops seen in years if cyclone season stays kind. Despite the positive outlook, low global sugar prices remain the industry’s biggest challenge.
What’s happening on the farm right now?
Two weeks of solid rain over the Christmas period has been great for the crop, but the grass and weeds have been loving it too. Now that the rain has stopped, we’re busy slashing headlands to keep the grass from invading the cane, and we’ve also got the high-rise out spraying vine so that it doesn’t take over the crop.
Vine control is a major focus of operations
The rain brought flash flooding to some of the lower-lying areas, but nothing serious — just a normal monsoon event that we get every year. The crop was in need of a good drink, so the rain was welcome.
Flooding occurred in the lower catchment as a monsoonal low system passed through
Thankfully, we dodged a bullet with Tropical Cyclone Koji. It formed off the coast but, instead of moving north, drifted south and away from Cairns before crossing the coast in the Mackay region. It was the first cyclone of the season — and hopefully the last. By the time it made landfall, it had been downgraded to a Category 1 system, so it hasn’t caused any major damage.
How’s the crop looking?
Honestly, the crop is looking really promising across the whole area. It’s probably the best crop we’ve had at this stage of the season in four or five years. It’s actively growing, and after the rain over Christmas the cane is really reaching for the sky. It’s a really beautiful sight.
If we can ride out the next few months without any cyclones (touch wood), we could be looking at our biggest crop in a while. That’s especially important in this area because we are a low CCS region, which means we rely on high production — particularly with the sugar price the way it is at the minute.
What are the main challenges at the moment?
At the risk of sounding like a broken record, the global sugar price continues to be the biggest challenge. Talk to any sugarcane farmer in Queensland and that’s really their biggest concern. In low CCS growing regions like here in the Wet Tropics, the low sugar price really hurts us, and we’re operating well below the cost of production right now.
These things come and go in cycles, but it would be nice to get a year where everything falls into place — a good crop, a good harvest and a good sugar price. Unfortunately, there’s no sign of the price rising significantly any time soon.
Other than that, we’re slap bang in the middle of cyclone season, which is a potential challenge every year.
Slashing of headlands to prevent grass infiltrating cane
What are you most proud of?
Right now, it would have to be the crop — it’s looking pretty amazing, to be honest. That doesn’t happen every year for a variety of reasons, but when it does, it really makes you feel proud of all the time and effort you’ve put into it.
The sun is out and the crop is looking great
The industry will also reach a major milestone this month, with January 21 marking 100 years since Queensland growers came together and decided to speak with one voice through the CANEGROWERS organisation.
As a member of CANEGROWERS, as well as a former director at the local and state level, I feel a certain pride in having played a role in an organisation that has been standing up for growers for a century.
