Release from dam
CROPS lie smashed and broken in the cane fields of the Whitsunday region.
Retired Proserpine district farmer Enrico Miotto, 88, said the broken cane in his son’s paddocks would not recover.
“It will get disease. This broken cane is finished,” he said.
Grower Andrew Auld said some farmers were estimating they could lose 50 to 60 per cent of their crops.
“Some varieties will sideshoot, but you lose sugar content when that happens. There are a lot of new varieties and no one knows how they will go,” he said.
John Pratt, executive general manager-North Queensland for miller Wilmar, said the clean-up had started. He said the Proserpine mill was still without power at 12pm yesterday.
Mr Pratt said the mill had suffered considerable roof damage and that some infrastructure at the sites had sustained minor damage.
“But, we are confident this will not impact our ability to have the factories ready for the start of crushing in June,” he said.
Mr Pratt said damage as- sessment of cane railway infrastructure was still underway.
“We have seen some damage caused by fast flowing water,” he said.
Mr Pratt said it was too early to estimate the damage to sugarcane. He said most of the crop was lodged in the affected areas and there was “considerable stalk breakage” and shredded leaves evident.
The Canegrowers’ organisation’s initial assessment indicated Debbie had impacted 100 per cent of the crop in the Proserpine, Mackay and Plane Creek areas.
“Surveys conducted so far show cane losses of up to 35 per cent in the Proserpine region worth $50 million, 20 per cent across the Mackay region worth $81 million and 20 per cent at Plane Creek worth $18 million, Canegrowers’ spokesman, Burn Ashburner said.