Industry News
Great Barrier Reef in ‘recovery’ but experts say progress will be threatened by climate-related disturbances
The Great Barrier Reef is experiencing a rare window of recovery due to a break in weather and bleaching events according to the latest observations from marine scientists. According to the Australian Institute of Marine Science's Annual Summary Report on Coral Reef Condition, which was released...
Wilmar Sugar to commemorate 100 years of operation at its Invicta Mill
Wilmar Sugar is set to commemorate 100 years of operation at its Invicta Mill, with a full day of celebrations scheduled in August. The Invicta Mill, near the town of Giru, will be marking this milestone on August 19 with a barbeque breakfast for employees, followed by a community night at Giru's...
First Breeding of Sugar Cane Using CRISPR/Cas9
Sugarcane is one of the most productive plants on Earth, providing 80 percent of the sugar and 30 percent of the bioethanol produced worldwide. Its size and efficient use of water and light give it tremendous potential for the production of renewable value-added bioproducts and biofuels. But the...
Indian subsidies cost Queensland sugar industry $1 billion
Indian Government price and export subsidies have cost the Queensland sugar industry an estimated $1 billion. The subsidies, which are currently under investigation by the World Trade Organisation, have contributed to substantially lower global sugar prices, according to a new report by Green Pool...
First 2021 sugar shipment
QSL has dispatched its first shipment of sugar from the current harvest. The cargo of 42,000 tonnes of raw sugar from the Burdekin region was shipped on the Pacific Integrity out of Townsville earlier this month, bound for a refinery customer in South Korea. QSL General Manager Marketing...
Wilmar Sugar applications open soon for their 2022 apprenticeship round
Wilmar Sugar has announced the opening of applications for their 2022 apprenticeship round this Saturday July 10, calling on the next generation of apprentices to get their resumes ready. With a variety of jobs on offer, applicants will have the opportunity to choose from apprenticeships...
New investments to delivery exciting sugarcane research and development outcomes
Sugar Research Australia has announced the investment in multiple new research projects that will drive productivity, profitability and sustainability in the Australian sugarcane industry. These new investments have targeted specific areas and issues that require solutions for growers and millers,...
Student engineers sweetening the deal on clean energy
Chemical engineering students from the University of Queensland (UQ) have helped investigate how sugarcane could be used as a clean energy source to create hydrogen. Professor Damien Batstone of UQ’s Faculty of Engineering, Architecture and Information Technology, said bagasse, or sugarcane...
Energycane produces more biodiesel than soybean at a lower cost
Bioenergy from crops is a sustainable alternative to fossil fuels. New crops such as energycane can produce several times more fuel per acre than soybeans. Yet, challenges remain in processing the crops to extract fuel efficiently. Four new studies from the University of Illinois explore...
Terrain NRM soil health coaching workshop success for Tully producers
Growers in the Tully region welcomed the opportunity to participate in a soil health coaching workshop to improve their mentorship skills in regenerative farming practices. The one day workshop held in May, was coordinated by Terrain Natural Resource Management group, and delivered by...
There is nothing special about asking Councillors to do their jobs properly
The Bundaberg Regional Council has released its 2021-2022 Budget which has delivered more pain for Bundaberg farmers and ratepayers in general. Dubbed by Council as “responsible” the special budget meeting slapped a 1.9% general rate rise on all Bundaberg Ratepayers, which is on top of the up to...
Bundaberg farmers forced to irrigate like it’s the 1999’s after 22pc allocations announced
Irrigators on the Bundaberg water supply scheme are coming to terms with their recently announced allocations (AA) for the 2021-22 water year. With recent rainfall recorded across the Wide Bay region over the weekend, some growers were rewarded with widespread falls and inflows into their on-farm...
Wilmar loco driver injured in shunting incident
A Wilmar sugar employee has been airlifted to Mackay Base Hospital following a shunting incident that occurred near Camila over the weekend. The incident involving the Plane Creek locomotive driver occurred around 3.30pm on Saturday afternoon at West Hill siding, near...
Crushing season has commenced throughout Wilmar milling regions
Wilmar have announced that the 2021 season is well underway across all four of their milling regions with growers feeling optimistic about buoyant cane prices. Wilmar Sugar, Australia's largest raw sugar manufacturer, operates a total of eight mills throughout the Burdekin, Sarina, Proserpine and...
$1 Million Injection for Mossman Food Facility
CocoNutZ , a patented agricultural bio-manufacturing platform which seeks to diversify FNQ agriculture through producing a range of condiments using local sugar cane, has received a significant shot in the arm thanks to a Federal Government grant.The Morrison Government is providing Mossman-based...
Drones add to fall armyworm defence
High-tech drones are being used to survey maize crops in the State's north for the new invasive pest, fall armyworm, to improve monitoring and provide an early warning detection tool for growers. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) has joined with the Ord River...
Wilmar Sugar opens new store building at Proserpine mill
Mark Borellini, Breanna Pirlo, Chad Watson, and Steve Mackenzie, officially opening Proserpine Mills new store on June 17. Wilmar Sugar has announced the opening of a new store building at its Proserpine Mill in the wake of the fire that tore through the old store and offices in 2020. Officially...
Decision support tool to help the industry find the harvesting sweet spot
Recent research into sugarcane harvesting has demonstrated that there is significant potential for the industry to ensure more sugar makes its way from the paddock and into the supply chain. Through a range of research projects in recent years, it has been demonstrated that adjusting the way the...
A new era of research, development and adoption (RD&A) begins for the Australian sugarcane industry
Today (Thursday July 1) marks ‘day one’ of an exciting era of sugarcane research, development and adoption (RD&A) investment for the Australian sugarcane industry, with Sugar Research Australia (SRA) officially commencing a new five-year Strategic Plan. SRA CEO Roslyn Baker said that the...
Destructive coconut rhinoceros beetle a ‘stone’s throw’ from Australia as it spreads through Pacific
Australia's sugar, pineapple, mango, and coconut oil industries are facing a major threat from a destructive pest beetle sitting on the nation's doorstep. The coconut rhinoceros beetle has bulldozed its way across the Pacific in just a few years and is now in Papua New Guinea, University of...