Wilmar Sugar has reached a significant milestone for the 2020 crush having processed over a quarter of their estimated crop.
The company’s eight mills have now processed 3.93 million tonnes of cane, out of the 15.07 million tonnes they expect to crush.https://188dfd51f747b18d3b8753ffa68119c5.safeframe.googlesyndication.com/safeframe/1-0-37/html/container.html
This is despite wet weather delaying the start in most milling regions, with rain continuing to hamper the crush in some locations.
Wilmar’s general manager cane supply and grower relations Paul Giordani said widespread rain had put the brakes on crushing operations at all eight of their mills in late July.
More rain is forecast today and Mr Giordani said the company’s focus was on maximising cane supply and crushing operations as weather permits.
“Wet weather had a significant impact on harvesting operations during the latter half of July, causing all four Burdekin sites to shut down for several days,” Mr Giordani said.
He said all mills had resumed crushing and the region had crushed 2.25 million tonnes, or 28 per cent of their forecast 8.04 million tonne crop.
CCS has returned to pre-rain levels and was last week at 14.2.
Mr Giordani said rain has also delayed the crush in the Herbert.
“Rain has hampered harvesting and crushing operations since the season start, and we are closely monitoring our bagasse fuel levels,” he said.
“Omproved field conditions this week have resulted in more continuous cane supply and better daily throughputs.
“The Herbert crop is cutting close to original estimate.”
The Herbert mills have crushed 993,000 tonnes of the estimated 4.16 million.
Average CCS levels were at 12.21 this week, which Mr Giordani said was slightly below average but steadily rising.
At Proserpine, rain caused a few days of lost time in late July, but can supply is picking up as field conditions dry out.
“With more rain predicted this week, we postponed Wednesday’s planned maintenance stop in order to maximise harvesting and crushing opportunities,” Mr Giordani said.
He said the crop was cutting slightly above the estimate and they have crushed 636,000 tonnes of a forecast 1.62 million with average CCS sitting at 13.63 this week.
Mr Giordani said there had been a welcome spike in CCS levels at Plane Creek over the past fortnight as was at 13.63 this week.
“We’ve also seen welcome improvements in yield and the Plane Creek crop is cutting closer to estimate.”