CANEGROWERS Around the Paddock

Send us Fan Mail Sugar doesn’t need a headline to hurt, it just needs to sit below the cost of production for long enough. We’re back with the CANEGROWERS Marketing Information Service update for June 2026, and the message is blunt: prices aren’t where growers want them, shared pool add-ons are under pressure, and the market is still working through surplus supply from the last upswing. We’re join...

Send us Fan Mail Jonathan Williams and Stephen Geldart from Czarnikow join from London to reflect on when Australia led global raw sugar exports and the challenge was finding homes for massive crops. They unpack how quality, logistics and relationships kept Queensland competitive – and why getting the last call from a refiner still matters. Stephen brings it to today – a tougher market, Brazil’s r...

Send us Fan Mail Oil jumps, sugar slumps, and every cane grower is left asking the same thing: what actually moves the price from here? We sit down to unpack the March 2026 global sugar market update, starting with the shock coming out of the Middle East and why a surge in crude oil can ripple straight into farm-gate reality through freight, fertiliser, fuel and broader cost pressures. If you’re w...

Send us Fan Mail Prices are soft, tanks are full, and the sugar market is asking a hard question: how do you protect margin when the prompt is at life‑of‑contract lows but the future looks better? We dig into the turn from a multi‑year deficit to a sizeable surplus and show why the forward curve is your best signal right now. You’ll hear a clear breakdown of Brazil’s production mix, why mills kept...

Send us Fan Mail Queensland sugarcane growers have access to some of the world’s best tools for forward pricing – a system many international producers can only dream of. But having the tools is only part of the picture. How do we use them effectively? What should we be thinking about now to manage price risk in today’s global sugar market? This month’s Marketing Information Service (MIS) update d...

Send us Fan Mail A sudden September flood tore through the Russell River and Babinda Creek, smashing levee banks, blanketing new plant cane with debris, and forcing growers to rethink recovery under a tightening clock. We share first-hand accounts, real costs, policy gaps, and why community support and better forecasting now matter more than ever. • shock rise of the Russell River and Babinda Cree...

Send us Fan Mail Mark Hampson, CEO of Queensland Sugar Limited (QSL), brings a wealth of insight to this candid conversation about the state of Australia's sugar industry and the unique position Queensland growers hold in the global market. With sugar prices hovering around $530 per tonne and approaching cost of production levels, Hampson reveals why Australian cane farmers should recognize t...

Send us Fan Mail Sugar pricing might be the best-kept secret in Australian agriculture, offering growers a level of price certainty that other farming sectors can only dream about. In this revealing conversation with Simon Hood, Manager of Wilmar Grower Marketing, we explore the sophisticated sugar marketing system that allows Queensland cane farmers to lock in prices up to three years forward. Ho...

Send us Fan Mail This month's sugar market update explores sustainable sugar's value in the global market, with guests Lindsey Perry and Matt Kealley from CANEGROWERS Brisbane sharing their expertise on sustainability certification and market access. Sugar prices currently volatile at around 16.5 cents per pound, with 2025 season at $550 AUD per tonne Forward prices showing higher values...

Send us Fan Mail MSF Sugar is setting the benchmark for mechanical efficiency in Australia’s sugar industry - hitting 97% at Tableland Mill and 93–94% at South Johnston and Mulgrave - even after four consecutive years of extreme wet weather. South Johnston alone lost 1,100 crushing hours in one season. In this episode, South Johnston Mill Manager Barry O'Brien, Head of Cane Supply Mark Magnan...

Send us Fan Mail As we move into the upcoming season, it’s a great time for cane growers to reflect on business production strategies and assess their bottom line. One key factor influencing profitability is the current sugar price, which has seen recent volatility due to shifts in global supply, weather patterns, and trade dynamics. Staying informed about these trends helps growers make better de...

Send us Fan Mail In this episode, CANEGROWERS CEO Dan Galligan, Australian Sugar Milling Council CEO Ash Salardini, and Mackay Sugar CEO Carl Morton tackle the frustrations around mill performance. Dan highlights growers' anger and the need for solutions. The discussion explores foreign ownership, shifting industry expectations, rebuilding trust, and balancing costs and rewards. How can the i...

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Send us Fan Mail CANEGROWERS' Marketing Update March 2025 What's happening on the world sugar market? Well, with Trump's tariff rollercoaster hurtling along at breakneck speed it can be hard to keep up. But CANEGROWERS' resident market experts Dougall Lodge and Doug Morrow will try to get to grips with where we stand in this new format Marketing Information Services podcast upd...

Send us Fan Mail Sustainable Aviation Fuel - is it a pipe dream or the future of Queensland's sugarcane industry?  In this episode, we explore the potential of SAF, its connection to sugarcane, and how growers might play a pivotal role in transforming aviation into a greener industry. Tune in to uncover whether SAF is the next big opportunity for sugarcane or just another lofty ambition in th...

Send us Fan Mail The closure of Mossman’s iconic mill marks a heartbreaking chapter for its sugarcane growers. In this episode, we delve into the deep uncertainty and emotional toll felt across the community as they fight to save their industry. Hear firsthand accounts of the struggle to adapt, the sleepless nights, and the resilience needed to press on. This is the story of a town facing the pain...

Send us Fan Mail CANEGROWERS is talking to two National Heavy Vehicle Regulators (NHVR) representatives, Tim Brown from the Standards and Advice team and Jarrod Wilson from Operations South, Northern Region, along with Alexander Desses the CANEGROWERS Policy Officer about what we can do to maintain transporting sugarcane safely, and what growers can expect at the roadside when intercepted by the N...

Send us Fan Mail Feral pigs are costing cane growers like Innisfail's Joe Marano, Luke Zammit and Donna Campagnolo tens of thousands of dollars each year in lost production. Baiting, trapping, hunting, and even aerial shooting programs have so far been unsuccessful at controlling pig populations, with the feral pests able to roam and breed freely in neighbouring national parks. Frustrated gro...

Send us Fan Mail What work does CANEGROWERS do in the field of international trade? And how important is it to growers and the industry? 

Send us Fan Mail The CANEGROWERS podcast delves into the rise of rural crime and its profound effects on growers, both in terms of their physical and emotional well-being. In this episode, we engage in a conversation with Chris Cooper, the legal counsel for CANEGROWERS, to gain insights into the nature of crime and unlawful activities. Additionally, Kevin Borg, the Chair of CANEGROWERS Mackay, sha...

Send us Fan Mail Chris Cooper, legal counsel for CANEGROWERS looks back on 40 years of fighting for growers' legal rights.

Send us Fan Mail In this episode Herbert River growers discuss what's driving an explosion in the rat population, the costs to local growers and the wider industry, and what is being done to address the problem.

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Send us Fan Mail Uniquely in the world, Queensland sugarcane growers can price their sugar up to several years ahead. CANEGROWERS members fought hard for grower choice so the organisation provides  tools, education and information so they can do the best they can in this environment. This podcast  explains the important link between farm budgeting, risk analysis and sugar pricing and outlines CANE...