Sweet end to a busy season at local mills

22nd November 2008

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Clementine Norton

ISIS Central Mill crushed its last stick of cane for the season on Wednesday morning, but Millaquin Mill is straggling behind, with its end of crush delayed by rain.

"We're limping to the finish, but if it stays dry, we should be done by the weekend," Bundaberg Sugar general manager Ray Hatt said.

"If we get the kind of rain they have had in Brisbane, we will be in trouble."

Mr Hatt said the crush was still on target to crush more than 1.5 million tonnes, although he had hoped for 1.7 million tonnes at the start of the season, and CCS (commercial cane sugar) content has been on target at 13.6 for Millaquin and 13.59 for Bingera.

Bingera finished crushing cane from growers and Bundaberg Sugar last Wednesday, a day later than predicted.

The Isis mill beat both mills to the finish-line and crushed just under 1.152 million tonnes with a CCS of 13.59.

Manager Mark Hochen said this was about 100,000 tonnes more than 2007.

"The CCS was also higher than last year, which was good to see," Mr Hochen said.

He said the mill would look for more cane next year.

"The growth of this season's cane was affected by severe frost and water conditions in the early part of the year," Mr Hochen said.

"We need three or four inches of good rain to get the new crop off to a good start."

Mr Hochen said sugar prices looked more promising than 12 months ago.

"The credit crunch isn't affecting the domestic market at the moment although there has been some impact on the global market," he said.

"There is a deficit in sugar production compared to consumption which heralds good news for prices."

Canegrowers Bundaberg deputy chairman Jay Hubert said the season progressed in line with predictions.

"We had good sugar and reasonable tonnage," Mr Hubert said. He said prices this year had growers concerned, with rapidly rising input costs for fertiliser and diesel, but next year may offer more stability.

"We have been able to fix long-term prices for some of the crop next year with Bundaberg Sugar, and that offers growers some security," Mr Hubert said.

He said a rapid change-over to smut-resistant varieties had controlled the impact of smut for Bundaberg's growers, and the new resistant varieties in place have performed well.