Insight Focus
Farmers in Far North Queensland are currently focused on fertilizing and crop preparation. Workforce shortages, especially in contractors, are straining resources, but community efforts are helping fill gaps. Despite challenges from flooding and wet weather, early plant cane looks promising.
What are you up to on the farm at present?
This month has seen the weather finally clear, and those sunny days have allowed growers in the district to get out in the fields and finalise the planting for the season.
At our farm it’s a busy time, now that we have completed our planting, we have moved onto fertilising the ratoons while tending the plant crop.
Fertiliser application is the main focus at this time
What stage is your crop at?
Our early plant cane at this stage looks excellent and our main focus is on fertilising and getting the crop ready for next year.
The crop this year will be a light crop after the excessive wet weather we have endured, and as the Commercial Cane Sugar (CCS) has already peaked, we are hopeful to get it all harvested before any deterioration can begin.
Mill performance has been excellent considering the condition of the crop. South Johnstone Mill is sitting at around 65% crushed to date, with an expectation to finish the crush in the last week of November. The Mulgrave Mill is around 78-80% crushed to date and this mill is expected to finish around the first week of November.
Early plant cane is excellent and looks promising
What are your biggest concerns at present?
One of the concerns we have within the district is around lack of workforce and contractors, and the effect of stretching the limited resources. Contractors are in small supply, not just in harvesting contractors or haul out drivers but also planting contractors.
The impact is being felt heavily throughout the area, for example one of our contractors was unable to complete a planting contract, so we went and planted for them, as we had luckily finished our own planting. It’s what you do to help neighbours, but it’s not something I want to do in the long term or regularly.
MSF Sugar has invested in a plant contractor so we are hoping that will help, but the limited number of contractors available is definitely a longer-term concern for the industry.
What are you doing differently this year?
The whole of district is doing their best with a very light crop this year. We knew this would be the case after being heavily impacted by record-breaking flooding in the wake of ex Tropical Cyclone Jasper at the end of 2023 and the continual wet weather events throughout the year.
The harvesters are doing their best to chase down the crop and deliver it to the mills, keeping them busy for the crush. For now, it’s just a matter of working together and getting the cane off.
I am proud of how everyone across our industry—growing, harvesting, and milling—is working together to prepare the crop for next year.
