Australia’s 4,000 cane farming businesses grow 30-35 million tonnes of sugarcane each year. The farms are all along the east coast from Grafton to Mossman. 24 sugar mills process the cane into 4-4.5 million tonnes of raw sugar and 80% is exported through six bulk storage ports.
Australia is the second largest supplier of raw sugar onto the world market.
Sugar production is worth $2 billion to the Australian economy each year.
Australia has around 378,000 hectares under sugarcane each year, 95% of it in Queensland.
Sugarcane is a giant tropical grass that takes between nine and 18 months to reach maturity depending on the weather.
It is cut and re-grown as a ratoon crop for up to six years before being ploughed out and replanted.
85% of the crop is now harvested green, without being burned, and the trimmed leaves are left as mulch on the ground.
Smartcane BMP is the industry best management practice program driving productivity, profitability and sustainability through modules covering every aspect of cane growing.
CANEGROWERS represents around 75% of Queensland’s sugarcane farmers through 13 regional companies which have offices in cane growing regions. It is a highly successful and respected lobby, representation and services group employing around 100 professional staff. The company is a not for-profit public company with the sole purpose of representing the interests of its members.
The Australian Cane Farmers (ACFA) is a grass roots, voluntary log organisation driven by its cane farmer-based membership. ACFA is an Australia-wide organisation, spanning from Far North Queensland to Northern New South Wales. The Function of ACFA is to further the interests of its cane farmer members and to communicate with industry and government on their behalf. It is also ACFA’s objective to provide information and services to members including industry information, government and industry representation, insurance, financial planning and contract negotiations.