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 storySimon Hood, Wilmar Manager Grower Marketing
As factories across our regions ramp up operations for the production season, the global sugar price remains under pressure.
Recent figures from Brazil, the world's largest sugar producer, show a strong fortnight of crushing activity in the second half of May, according to UNICA. Brazil is now just 12% behind its 2024 crushing pace. Its sugar mix reached nearly 52% for the period, bringing the season-to-date balance to an even 50/50 split between sugar and ethanol. Brazil's CCS levels are finally improving after a slow start.
However, one key piece of the Brazil production puzzle remains uncertain: cane yield, or tonnes of cane per hectare. This figure is gathered from various sources, but the industry standard often relies on CTC data. The May report is due soon, and historically, May has marked the peak for yields. Over the past 23 years, average crop yields haven't surpassed the May benchmark, so this next report will be one to watch.
Ethanol parity is another factor influencing the #11 sugar price. There's talk the Brazilian government may raise its ethanol blending mandate from 27% to 30% a 10% increase that could support prices. At the same time, however, Brazil's booming corn ethanol industry continues to add supply, which may offset some of the support for sugar prices. Oil prices - which impact ethanol demand are on the rise, but they remain volatile due to global macroeconomic events.
In short, the price outlook remains uncertain. Some market commentators suggest most of Brazil's 2025 export sugar has been hedged at stronger prices, while much of the remaining production, including grower sugar, is still to be priced. For the first time, we're also hearing murmurs of demand softening, which is notable given sugar prices have fallen nearly 40% since their late 2023 highs.
With market pressure still weighing on prices, we're left hoping the old saying proves true - that low prices eventually cure low prices.
For those wanting to hear more about what is affecting the global sugar market, keep an eye out for our Global Traders Roadshow being held in July. Wilmar's senior sugar traders Peter Bingham and Neil Foo will be presenting on the current state of play and what will be influencing prices this year.
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