WITH just over half of the 2014 sugarcane crop now crushed, the Australian sugar industry looks to be heading for its highest crush since 2006 with current forecasts putting the crop at about 32 million tonnes.
This is despite drought affected crops in Southern Queensland particularly in the Maryborough and Rocky Point mill areas where the crops will be amongst the lowest experienced in the past 30 years.
The region from Tully North will crush close to seven million tonnes, up some 400,000 tonnes on the 2013 season. The crop in the Ingham area is holding to its pre-season estimate at around 4.2 million tonnes with the Burdekin now looking likely to achieve a crop of close to eight million tonnes. The Central region is heading for 8.5 million tonnes with the Southern region and New South Wales contributing the balance of the 32 million tonnes with a current forecast of just over 4.35 million tonnes.
CEO of the Australian Sugar Milling Council, Dominic Nolan says that sugar levels are also tracking well with overall CCS levels during the current month exceeding 14 units.
“While wet conditions disrupted the season start for many mills back in June and then caused problems for about a week in mid-August, generally field conditions have been ideal and many mills have been reporting weekly crush totals at close to maximum capacity,” Mr Nolan said.
“A Climate Statement from the Queensland Government’s Department of Science, Information Technology, Innovation and the Arts (DSITIA) states that the probability of exceeding median rainfall during spring (September to November) is slightly below average for most of Queensland,” he said.
“We will be hoping that is the outcome for sugar regions leading to dry field conditions as the balance of the crop is harvested over the next ten to twelve weeks.”
