Insight Focus
Australian farms have experienced improved conditions over the past year. There has been ideal weather for sugarcane growth. As the sugarcane thrives, optimism grows amongst the district’s growers. However, a shortage of harvesting contractors remains a concern for the industry.
What are you up to on the farm at present?
What a difference a year makes! This time last year we were dealing with the impacts of Tropical Cyclone Jasper and the flooding that followed.
Twelve months on, the picture is much brighter, with hot days, clear skies and the occasional storm providing dream conditions for growing sugarcane.
It’s a joy to be out working on the farm – as long the tractor’s air-conditioning unit holds up, as the heat is oppressive.
Out in the paddocks we are busy using the high-rise sprayer for vine management and our current focus is on getting the legume crop into the fallow.
We don’t gather any direct income from the legumes here in the tropics. For us, it’s all about soil health and breaking the monoculture.
What a difference a year makes – this is the same farm impacted by the rainfall events of 2024 and how the current crop is looking in 2025!
What stage is your crop at?
The current heatwave is great for the crop, with the cane growing vigorously and is well ahead of schedule for this time of year.
This is providing great optimism to the growers in the district and it’s rewarding to see the benefits of our hard work with the crop. It also means that we can do our work in a timely manner, which is much more efficient and productive.
All I can say is Santa delivered the good weather for us!
The current good weather is providing optimal growing conditions, and the cane is thriving in the fields.
What are your biggest concerns at present?
The main issue for the district, and in fact the industry as a whole, is harvesting capacity.
We have seen yet another harvesting contractor leave the industry, which will impact our district this year. It’s a universal challenge.
Now more than ever, it’s imperative that growers continue to utilise best management farm practices to grow quality sugarcane.
