Did Someone Say Sugar?

Cane Crush Kicks Off Amid Fresh Hope And Ongoing Challenges

Cane fields in the Tablelands and Bundaberg are springing to life, with the 2025 harvest officially underway and the first loads already rolling out. For many growers, there’s nothing quite like seeing that first bin filled. It signals the start of a new chapter and the chance to reset after a trying year.

Elsewhere across Queensland, paddocks are prepped and machinery is humming, with farms putting the final touches in place while waiting for local mills to kick into gear. There’s a quiet energy in the air, a mix of determination, relief and hope for smoother days ahead.

The previous season was one many would rather forget. Weather events, equipment issues and industrial stoppages meant that harvest ran far longer than usual, with some regions still cutting into the new year. When it was all said and done, roughly a million tonnes of cane were left uncut, not due to any lack of effort, but because the system buckled under pressure.

But if cane growers know anything, it’s how to dig deep. Across the districts, paddocks have been reworked, gear has been fixed and preparations have been made. The 2025 season is here, and farmers are ready to give it another red-hot go.

This year’s projected crop sits at around 28.5 million tonnes across 13 regions. It’s a touch lower than last season, largely thanks to the early-year floods that wreaked havoc in parts of North Queensland, including major damage throughout the Herbert River area.

Still, there’s cautious confidence among the farming community. Growers have done their bit, now it’s over to the mills, the weather and the supply chain to play their roles and help deliver solid returns.

Labour, however, remains a stubborn challenge. There’s still a shortage of trained hands, from harvester drivers to mill crews, and the crunch is being felt across the broader agriculture sector too.

That’s why CANEGROWERS is working closely with regional offices and the Queensland Farmers’ Federation to push for solutions that will ease the pressure on farm labour and ensure skilled staff are available where they’re needed most. Because even the best-prepared farm can’t succeed without boots on the ground.

Another issue making headlines is the need to update disaster relief to reflect how farming operates today. Last week, Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett travelled to Ingham, where he attended the Link2Country Expo and met with flood-affected farmers during a Community Cabinet session.

One of the key concerns raised was the way disaster payments are currently assessed. Some farmers are being excluded from assistance simply because part of their income comes from contracting services such as harvesting or planting for others. But for many small-scale operations, that kind of side income is essential to staying afloat, and still very much part of the agricultural sector.

CANEGROWERS and the QFF are urging the government to modernise the Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements so they reflect the real-world nature of regional farming today and ensure support reaches those who genuinely need it.

Growers appreciated the chance to speak directly with the Minister, but now they’re asking for more than just a sympathetic ear - they want to see change.

As the 2025 crush gets into full swing, farmers are keeping one eye on their fields and the other on the bigger picture, pushing for an industry that is supported, fairly treated and better equipped to weather whatever comes next.

Here’s to a smoother run this season and a brighter, more secure future for every grower doing the hard yards in the cane fields of Queensland.