General News
10 March, 2026
Sugar shipment sweetest yet
THE first shipment of Queensland raw sugar from a fully-verified sustainable supply chain has departed the Port of Cairns bound for Japan.
Industry leaders say it marked an important milestone for Australian sugar.
MSF Sugar’s John Stubbs said the shipment marked the first time Australian raw sugar produced from Smartcane BMP-accredited farms and verified through the internationally recognised VIVE Sustainable Supply Programme had been exported to Japan.
“This MSF Sugar shipment is a historic day for the Australian sugar industry,” he said.
“This is the first sugar that’s been sourced from a fully-verified sustainable supply chain – from farm to mill to ship.
“We think with VIVE and the Smartcane program we’ve now linked the aspirations of growers, millers, our customers and the end consumer when it comes to sustainability.
“MSF mill teams and growers have demonstrated a deep commitment to practice change over a very long period of time.”
Representatives from MSF Sugar, Canegrowers and Japanese sugar importer Itochu Corporation were on hand to watch the MV HSC River complete loading at the Cairns bulk sugar terminal.
The sugar was produced at MSF Sugar’s Mulgrave Mill at Gordonvale using cane supplied by Smartcane BMP-accredited farms across the Cairns region. MSF Sugar’s Mulgrave mill and South Johnstone mill near Innisfail recently became the first mills in Australia to achieve VIVE certification.
Smartcane BMP is also recognised by VIVE, allowing sugar from accredited farms and certified mills to be independently verified as sustainably sourced.
Canegrowers Cairns region director and local grower Paul Gregory said the shipment showed that growers’ long-term investment in sustainable farming practices was beginning to translate into real market outcomes.
“Growers have been putting a lot of work into Smartcane BMP over a long period of time, so it’s good to see that effort being recognised,” he said.
“Smartcane BMP is a pathway that gives us entry into future markets where there is a clear trend that buyers are looking for sustainably grown sugar.”
Mr Gregory said the shipment represented an important step forward for the region and the industry.
“This is about building momentum,” he said. “It proves the system works and gives growers confidence that sustainability accreditation can open doors to new markets and future opportunities.”
Industry leaders say the Cairns shipment provides a strong foundation for expanding sustainably sourced sugar exports as more growers and mills achieve accreditation under Smartcane BMP and VIVE.
Mulgrave MP Terry James who watched the loading said he was “very conscious of the importance of the sugar industry to the economy of our electorate”.
“Sustainable sugar sourced from across the region through the VIVE sustainable supply program will attract a premium price and will be a reward for all the effort farmers have put in through Smartcane BMP to reach sustainability standards,” he said.
Read More: Far North