Community Day last Thursday brought together everyone from juniors to seniors, and a few firemen, to enjoy the formal re-opening of the community facilities at TYTO. There was story time and robotics, along with computer classes and colouring. The cake was cut and councillors and community alike enjoyed the sweetness of jovial conversations among the stacks of the beloved library.
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In a heartening reminder of the value of rural health care, the Ingham Health Service recently celebrated nine years since the reopening of its maternity service — and what better way to mark the occasion than with the birth of four babies in just 24 hours? On the 7th and 8th of April, four mothers; Giorgia Firmi, Marites Carao, Hannah Bestmann, and Leah Dingwell, welcomed their little ones into the world, creating a unique bond not only between their babies, but among themselves as part of thi
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An elusive and endangered species, the mahogany glider is receiving new hope thanks to a collaborative conservation effort underway in North Queensland. The project, centred south of Ingham, is helping to link critical glider habitat while also delivering rare sightings of the species in the wild. Indigenous ranger Chris Muriata is one of the few people lucky enough to see a mahogany glider in its natural habitat. “To finally see one – it made me happy,” he says. “It was in vegetation at the
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There was a real sense of celebration in the air as United Petroleum Ingham officially reopened its doors this week, a welcome sight for many a traveller and local alike. United Petroleum’s General Manager of Retail, Grant McGregor, said, “We have eagerly reopened the doors of our Ingham site and extend a warm invitation to the community to experience the unparalleled quality and convenience we offer. As one of Australia's fastest-growing fuel and convenience brands, United Petroleum is excited
Read the full storyBrazil remains front and centre in global sugar market movements. The latest UNICA report for the first half of June shows sugar production continuing to outpace ethanol. While sugar output dipped slightly in the fortnight, it still accounted for 51.5% of cane crushed, nudging the year-to-date figure to 50.5%—up from 48.3% in the previous season. However, cane quality remains a concern.
The ATR is hovering below 12%, prompting analysts to downgrade forecasts. Year-to-date, sugar production is trailing 15% behind last season, with a lack of yield data from Brazil—now about 30% into its harvest—keeping markets guessing.
Closer to home, local interest in the 2026 Managed Pool Plus continues to build. A strong response from both returning and new growers led to an extension of the nomination window through to the end of July, allowing more time for growers to finalise their nomination.
Amid softer global prices, growers are finding value in shared-risk pricing models. The Managed Pool Plus for 2025, for example, has a price forecast on June 30 at $45 per tonne above the 2025 season Target Price. While this will fluctuate with the market, it underlines the potential benefits of diversifying pricing strategies.
Another product we have introduced to growers is assistance with input costs, particularly fertiliser. Our grower survey indicated inflation of costs was a major concern. By leveraging the buying power of the Wilmar Farms business, we link growers into a secure supply of fertiliser with price certainty for the next couple of months. With Urea and Potash prices remaining volatile, this is proving popular with growers who are marketing their GEI with us. If you're interested to see what kind of savings you could receive, please reach out to the team.
In the regions, the annual show season has been in full swing, with our team on the ground sponsoring cane-growing competitions and presenting awards—further strengthening ties with our growers and the local communities.
Operationally, the mills have made a solid start to the season. Provided weather conditions hold, we remain on track to meet the forecast harvest timelines.
The 2028 season officially opened on 1 July, alongside increased forward pricing exposure limits for the 2026 and 2027 seasons. With sugar prices currently in a contango structure (future prices higher than current), it may be timely for growers to consider setting foundation pricing orders for 2028.
Finally, our Global Trader roadshow with Peter Bingham has unfortunately been rescheduled to September due to changing commitments. With any luck, the market will have found more solid ground by then.
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