Flood-damaged Northern Rivers sugar mill back squashing walking cane

When the Northern NSW floods struck the town of Broadwater, the town’s sugar mill was swamped by almost 3 metres of muddy floodwaters from the Richmond River.

More than 6 months and $29 million worth of repair work later on, operations at the mill are back underway.

The Sunshine Sugar mill is a significant company in the town and the whole Northern Rivers area.

Chief executive Chris Connors stated the resuming was the outcome of the vigorous efforts of workers and professionals.

” It’s a terrific accomplishment obtaining from where it was to in fact have the ability to squash walking cane,” Mr Connors stated.

Since the start of the 141 st walking cane season in July, Richmond Valley growers have actually needed to send out 30,000 tonnes of walking cane north to Condong Mill and 10,000 tonnes south to Harwood Mill.

Both those mills, which rest on the Tweed and Clarence Rivers, were likewise flooded however were fixed in time for the start of squashing season in June.

Mr Connors stated the quality of the very first load of 4,000 tonnes of sugar walking cane through Broadwater Mill had actually not been best provided the weather the crops sustained.

” When you’re handling flooded walking cane, you’ve got to accept that there’s going to be some mud and silt and pollutants in it,” he stated.

Mr Connors did not anticipate it to be a simple roadway forward due to the water and wetness that had actually been through its system.

” We’re anticipating some missteps however, at the end of the day, it’s had the ability to tip some bins and squash some walking stick and develop some steam electrical energy.”

Some alleviation for walking cane growers amidst the destruction their regional market had actually experienced was that another record cost for their walking stick was anticipated this season.

” At this point, we’re forecasting approximately $44 per tonne for walking stick or much better. That’s another record and, in the scenarios, it’s an essential part of their practicality,” Mr Connors stated.

Government assistance vital for walking cane market

While operations are back up and running, Sunshine Sugar is waiting on the federal and state federal governments to encourage if it will get an Anchor Business Support Grant.

Mr Connors stated he was “relatively positive” the business would achieve success, however he was anxiously waiting on verification.

” We’ve got absolutely nothing out of the federal government yet, we’ve kept all our workers used, we’ve squashed walking cane, we’ve got all the mills back in operation, and it has actually cost us some cash,” he stated.

” We’ve put in applications for 3 various jobs: one is efficiently for the damage, the 2nd one is to import some sugar out of Bundaberg, so we keep all the staff members utilized down at the refinery, and the 3rd one is to help with the transfer of walking stick.”

Sunshine Sugar has actually currently imported 20,000 tonnes of sugar from Queensland this year with another 30,000 anticipated to be required later on in the year, and more in April and May 2023.

” Hopefully the federal government will offer us support as it costs over $100 a tonne to ascertain from up there,” he stated.

The market is likewise awaiting news about the $150 million Primary Industry Support Package, revealed in March, consisting of Critical Producer Grants of as much as $100 million.

Mr Connors has actually heard absolutely nothing on either and stated it was vital that federal government supported growers to plant crops.

” It’s crucial that it gets done now due to the fact that the growers require to plant now– not in 3 or 6 months’ time– so the funds have actually got to go out there rapidly,” he stated.

” If they actually wish to assist the local farming market here in northern New South Wales, they’ve got to make that thing occur.”

The NSW Minister for Agriculture’s workplace has actually encouraged the ABC both programs will be revealed imminently.