He was only a few days in to harvest but the smile on the face of Childers cane grower Mitch Russo was enough of an indication at just how promising this year's crop could be.
Mr Russo and his team of three run North Side Harvesting and are expected to take off 47,000 tonnes of sugarcane this year, including 12,000 tonnes from Mr Russo's local farms.
Cane growers across Queensland are cautiously optimistic about the predicted 30 million tonne crop this year that's been met with prices between $500 and $600/tonne.
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This year Isis Central Sugar is anticipating a record 1.535 million tonnes, compared with 1.176 million tonnes last year, and already growers have reported average yields of 100 to 110 tonne to the hectare with paddocks beginning to lean over from the huge scale of this year's crop.
Mr Russo also grows macadamias, peanuts, soybeans and winter crops of barley and oats but with confidence in cane so high, he intends to plant even more in the future.
"The price is right up there at the moment and we haven't seen prices like this for a while," he said.
"I think a lot of people will be replanting a lot of cane this year, us for sure, we are putting a lot more cane in then we ever have this year because of the price and future market indicators look like it could stay up for a few years so why not put it in and grow it while it is worth something."
The impacts of heavy rain events in the district earlier this year were mixed; on one hand growers had irrigated less but harvest had been delayed for others until things could dry out.
"It's been a very positive thing for the crop for sure...[but] a lot of farmers are still really wet," he said.
"We, ourselves, have some that is uncuttable for a couple of months yet.
"We recently purchased a full track cane harvester so we could cut this year. We just had to do that so that we could secure the cane and cut it for ourselves and our customers..but like I said, a lot of guys, still, are getting bogged with wheel machines and even full track machines.
"It's going to take a bit to dry it out. Any more rain now will really be bad through this area."
Parts of the early harvested crop is still green but because July is the peak sugar level period in the area, some "crisp weather and nice cold westerlies" would be the perfect forecast now.
Diesel prices and labour have been the only deterrent in 2022.
"With good sugar prices and good rain, it's been good for a lot farmers this year and the only thing up at the moment is the diesel price," he said.
"It's costing the farmer now more to cut it because obviously we charge a price to cut it plus they supply fuel so while fuel is dear, they are obviously losing margin there as well.
"It is hard to find experienced men too...because a lot of the old guys that used to drive cane harvesters, they are obviously getting too old to drive now so we have trained up a young guy this year and he is going quite well."
The Russos have seen big benefits from their rotational peanut crops; the injection of nitrogen meaning the sugarcane wasn't impacted by a missed fertiliser program due to the wet weather.
"We had farms there last year that we couldn't even fertilise because it was so wet and they missed the fert for the year and some of the cane is just as good as I've ever seen before," he said.
"They have missed the fert and I've probably only watered them once and they are still yielding just as good because of the rain."
A series of technical and mechanical issues pushed the season beyond Christmas last year when Isis Central Sugar welcomed supplies from Maryborough for the first time.
A spokesperson from Isis Central Sugar said they were in a much better place for the start of the season compared to 2021.
"This time last year the transloader was still in construction and the transfer station hadn't been considered," a spokesperson said.
"All stakeholders need to work together and take every opportunity to harvest if we are to get the whole of the 2022 season crop off.
"The learnings from last year will help all of us this year, for example, truck arrivals need to be staggered and as per the schedulers instructions if congestion is to be avoided, the quality of cane impacts the transfer process, and communication by all stakeholders is key.
"We are still recovering from the rain in early June and once again facing an imminent rain event so what we need to make this happen is for all stakeholders to take every opportunity to harvest cane. Whatever it takes, to keep the harvesters moving.
"Our fleets are out an about now. Our trains are operating 24 hours per day, 7 days per week until the end of the year.
"Trains can be hauling over 400tns and take a significant distance to stop, even at low speeds. Please everyone be aware and look out for our trains."
Lucy Kinbacher
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
Raised on a cattle property at Biggenden, Lucy Kinbacher has spent 10 years working across metropolitan, regional and rural publications in both Queensland and NSW. Lucy has been the editor of the Queensland Country Life and North Queensland Register since 2021.
