The Wilmar AgServices team is gearing up for a busy fertiliser season on the back of a successful series of Bio Dunder Season Launch events.
More than 220 growers attended the five information sessions, lunches and dinners, held in the Mackay and Proserpine regions last week.
AgServices Business Manager David Parker said the biggest turnout was at Walkerston, south of Mackay, where close to 100 Bio Dunder customers attended.
“The response from growers was definitely up on recent years and the feedback from the events was really positive.”
He said growers were particularly interested in the presentation from Agribusiness Agronomist Dev Chalise on Bio Dunder and soil health.
“Dev has a doctorate in soil science and has been working in the sugar industry here for about five years,” Mr Parker said.
“He explained the key functions of essential nutrients – nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sulphur and copper – and how to spot deficiencies in those nutrients.
“Growers are very familiar with what nitrogen-deficiency looks like in cane, but probably less so for some of the other key nutrients. They loved seeing photos of how these nutrient deficiencies present in sugarcane, and learning more about the symptoms.”
Mr Parker said most growers were keen to follow the harvester with their fertilising regime this season.
“There’s a general consensus that the massive rains we had in February had a negative impact on this year’s crop, so growers are wanting to put fertiliser onto their cane ratoons as quickly as they can to maximise yields in 2026.
“We’ve got strong dunder stocks and the nutrient levels are high, so we’re well positioned to help growers with their fertilising needs.”
Mackay grower Greg Bath won the major lucky door prize of a full-day fishing charter for two in the Whitsundays.
Smaller lucky door prizes were handed out to growers at each of the five grower meetings.
AgServices team members, from left, Business Manager David Parker, Agribusiness Agronomist Dev Chalise and Graduate Agronomist Marc Tanizar.
AgServices Business Manager David Parker (standing, right) with growers at the well-attended Walkerston Season Launch event.
Wilmar Agribusiness Agronomist Dev Chalise (left) and Graduate Agronomist Marc Tanizar present Proserpine grower Max McFarlane with a Bio Dunder cooler bag – the lucky door prize for the Proserpine event
Mackay grower David Galea (left) was the lucky door prize winner at the Walkerston event. He’s pictured with Wilmar’s Dev Chalise (centre) and Marc Tanizar (right).
Dev Chalise explains how Bio Dunder fits into the renewable cycle of sugarcane. Photos supplied
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