Cheers as cold snap gives lift to sugar

CAIRNS cane growers are optimistic that cool weather has helped the crush season.

Mulgrave Canegrowers chairman Stephen Calcagno said the cool weather was a welcome occurrence for the crops.

“The cold snap has maximised the sugar,” Mr Calcagno said.

“It matures the cane and lifts the sugar.”

He said recent crops had gone without a true winter to mature the cane and lock in the sugar content.

“Over the last couple of years we have had no winter and the cane keeps growing,’ Mr Calcagno said.

“There is some good sugar for this time of year – this helped offset some of the low sugar prices.”

He said the richer content helped offset lower tonnages seen this season.

“The rains in March are probably why tonnages are down – cane needs sun.”

“We had some rain in June and that slowed things up.”

Chairman of the Australian Cane Farmers Association and Mossman grower Don Murday had earlier called the sugar cane price “disastrous”.

“At $340 a tonne no one makes money, grower or miller,” Mr Murday said.

“And it’s thought we might be stuck with these prices into next year as well.”

South Johnstone Mill estimates a season crop of 1,522,000 tonnes, with Mulgrave Mill estimating 1,303,000 tonnes.

Meanwhile, the Tableland Mill has announced a season crop estimate of 712,000 tonnes.