General News
12 September, 2026
Rain dampens yield
QUEENSLAND’S sugarcane crush is closing in on the halfway mark, with over 13 million tonnes of an estimated 27.4-million-tonne crop through the rollers – but that headline figure hides a season of extremes.
In the Burdekin, growers are already well beyond the midpoint. Elsewhere, rain and mill stoppages have cost weeks, while poor bin delivery is holding up harvesting crews – even in districts where mills are running better than they have in years.
Canegrowers chairman Owen Menkens said the statewide numbers meant little to growers dealing with the reality on individual farms.
“The average doesn’t mean much when you’re the grower sitting at 20% and watching the weeks tick by,” he said.
“The Burdekin was more than 64% through its crop by the end of August. A week earlier, Rocky Point was still below 20% and Innisfail was at around 25%. That’s how uneven this season has been.
“In the north, rain has been the main problem. District reports show South Johnstone has lost more than 350 hours to wet weather this season and Tully more than 500. Those hours add up to weeks of lost harvesting time.”
Read More: Far North