General News
11 June, 2025
Mossman harvest starts June 17
It is only in the last couple of weeks that the ‘Goss’ has questioned the current sugar cane situation, in terms of its harvesting and transportation from Mossman to Mulgrave mill in Gordonvale.
Since then, the Canegrowers organisation has issued details on the new season across Queensland as a whole, confirming that the state’s sugarcane crush is officially underway, with harvesters firing up across the Tablelands district from Thursday, May 22. It marks the start of a new season that growers hope will bring better fortunes after a tough run last year.
In what is likely to be the last cane harvest in the Douglas Shire, trucks will start the 100km trek to the Gordonvale mill in less than two weeks.
Trucks carrying cane from the Mossman area to Gordonvale are expected to start on June 17 after a slight delay.
Mossman Canegrowers manager Evelyn Matthews said the Department of Transport and Main Roads had now put up signs alerting motorists and tourists that the harvest season was about to begin.
“While there may not be trains and milling activities, there will be agricultural machinery and implements on roads and more trucks transporting the sugar cane to and through Cairns to Gordonvale,” she said.
Ms Matthews said with the Cook Highway still undergoing major repairs and night closures during the harvesting period, all locals and tourists were urged to take care, be aware and patient with the increased traffic on the roads during the next six months.
As in 2024, the transportation will be subsidised by the state government at a cost of $6 million.
A total crush of 200,000 tonnes has been agreed, equating to about $30 per tonne.
Last week, I caught up with a group of experienced Mossman cane farmers, who, over a coffee, were in deep discussion about this year’s harvest in the Douglas Shire.
Long time Mossman cane farmer of over 55 years, Peter Verri, believes there may not be the required tonnage of freshly grown cane available from this year’s grow, but believes it may be feasible to use some uncut cane from last year to make it up to the required amount.
“I don’t believe that there is 200,000 tonnes of fresh fertilised cane out there currently and we could possibly be 30,000 tonnes short,” he said.
“We may have to use cane from last year to make up the required amount.
“Sometimes this just all seems to have been put into the too hard basket. Everyone is in limbo.”
Growers in the Julatten area have already started cutting and supplying the MSF Tableland mill.
Ms Matthews also said the organisation had yet to receive any final notice or decision regarding the sale of the Mossman mill’s assets.
According to Canegrowers, the representative body for Australian sugarcane growers, around 28.5 million tonnes of cane are expected to be cut and crushed across 13 districts, from Rocky Point in the south, to Mossman in the Far North.
“Growers are eternal optimists,” Canegrowers chief executive officer Dan Galligan said.
“They’ve done their part, growing the best crop they can under the conditions,” he said. “Now we will be working together with the rest of the supply chain to make this season work.”
Well, I’m off to spot my first cane harvester, so for now it’s Gazza signing out.
Send your stories to gazza@cairnslocalnews.com.au
