Agribusiness & Food

Feds fund Queensland sugarcane transloader

Queensland’s sugar mills have produced more than two million tonnes of raw sugar this season, according to the Australian Sugar Milling Council (ASMC).

The Federal Government will launch a $2.5 million Community Development Grant to build a transloader that will move sugarcane from road to rail transport for processing at the Isis Central Sugar Mill.

Sugarcane farmer advocacy group Canegrowers has welcomed the announcement and has been calling for government assistance following MSF Sugar’s closure of the Maryborough Mill at the end of the 2020 season.

Canegrowers Maryborough Chairman Jeff Atkinson said the grant shows that a relatively small investment on the part of government can have a profound impact on the economic stability of a regional community.

“It gives longer term confidence to the 90 sugarcane growers in my region and job security to 140 farm workers and contractors,” Atkinson said.

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“It is a good result all round – Maryborough sugarcane can now support a viable Isis Mill into the future.”

Isis Central Sugar Mill will match the government grant to ensure the facility will be operational before the season starts.

Canegrowers is also seeking support from the Queensland Government.

“In January the rain looked good but February has delivered almost nothing with temperatures up to 38 degrees so the situation is getting desperate,” Atkinson said.

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