QCAR is urging cane farming organisations to back its call to also cover first and second ratoon crops in the proposal for financial support towards replanting of destroyed cane.
Ingham region sugarcane farmer of 25 years, Michael Waring, said it was “disheartening” and “depressing” to watch from his home as floodwater swamped his 70-acre ratoon crop downhill.
“Some of that cane was under 7m of water for five days,” the Queensland Cane Agriculture and Renewables (QCAR) Herbert District member said.
“About 45 acres died and so will require replanting.”
But like many growers across the Herbert and Burdekin regions, Mr Waring will be exempt from any financial support for replanting despite facing about $30,000 in replanting costs.
That is because the proposal currently being put forward covers only plant cane, which makes up about 16 per cent of the Herbert region’s sugarcane crops, meaning farmers with flood-ruined ratoon crops are ineligible for replanting financial support.
“We’ve put a large amount of money into planting a crop that should last us five, six years and we’ve lost that,” Mr Waring said, adding that like recently planted cane, ratoon cane or stools were flood-damaged infrastructure or assets.
Mr Waring said Herbert region farmers were still recovering from the 2019 floods with the February floods another setback to overcome, including the battle ahead to source seeds and labour to do repair works and replant.
“We’ve got to wait until it dries up or stops raining to replant. Hopefully by May, it will dry up,” he said.
QCAR Herbert District Manager Lawrence Di Bella, said financial support for replanting cane must also consider flood-damage to first and second ratoon crops.
“The proposal currently on the table will not cut the mustard,” Mr Di Bella said.
“QCAR will provide an alternative which is more palatable for farmers and will allow more growers to access critical funds for recovery efforts.
“We are proposing a stringent process whereby it will be necessary to inspect crops for flood-damage, with replanting financial support limited to those farmers with catastrophic crop death and loss of crop.
“The proposal will not cover crops older than third ratoon because those crops are nearing their final years of production and were due to be ploughed out.”
QCAR Chairman Christian Lago said he implored all sugarcane groups and rural organisations to back QCAR’s pursuit to achieve a better outcome for all farmers.
“If we are to make any traction on this issue and ensure farmers can get back on their feet, we need to present a united voice,” Mr Lago said.
Along with replanting subsidies, QCAR is pushing for the state and federal government to approve Category D Disaster Assistance (on top of the Category C Disaster Assistance grants of $25,000 that were recently announced), funds to repair creek banks and clean drainage systems, support for the harvesting and local business sectors, help to repair the rail network and thereby allow the industry to begin crushing this season, and more mental health support and services.
[ENDS]
- For media interviews, please contact QCAR Chairman Christian Lago on 0414 421 723 or QCAR Herbert District Manager Lawrence Di Bella on 0448 084 252.
- For further media assistance, contact Media & Communications Manager Heidi Petith on 0427 855 726
To subscribe to future media releases, email [email protected]
Related posts
2025 An open letter to Prime Minister Anthony Albanese
2025 
