The 2025 cane crush is underway, with harvesters rolling out in the Tableland and Bundaberg districts.
There’s nothing quite like those first bins filling up – it’s the start of a new season and a fresh shot at better days.
Across the rest of Queensland, growers are in prep mode – fine-tuning machinery, checking paddocks, and waiting for their local mills to kick off.
Wherever you are, you can feel the shift – a bit of relief, a bit of hope.
And let’s be honest, we’re due a better year.
Last season was one of the toughest we’ve seen in a while.
Wild weather, mill breakdowns and industrial action dragged harvests out into January.
A million tonnes of cane never made it to the mill – not because growers didn’t try, but because the system didn’t hold up.
But as always, growers have bounced back. We’ve replanted, repaired and reset.
This year’s forecast is about 28.5 million tonnes – slightly down thanks to the flooding up north, particularly around the Herbert, where some paddocks were wiped out.
Still, the mood is cautiously optimistic. We’ve done our bit – now it’s over to the weather, the mills, and the supply chain.
One major challenge we’re still up against is labour. From harvester drivers to mill staff, skilled workers are in short supply – and not just in sugar, but across ag. That’s why CANEGROWERS is working with local offices and the QFF to help plug the gaps.
We’re also keeping pressure on government for a fairer disaster support system.
Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett visited Ingham last week, hearing directly from growers hit hard by flooding.
Too many missed out on help because their income included things like planting or harvesting for others – which is still farming in our books.
We need modern rules that reflect how farming works today.
The goodwill is there – now we need action.
Here’s to a smoother season ahead, and a fairer go for every grower doing the hard yards.
