CANEGROWERS Mackay Area Committee (MAC) met with Mackay Sugar representatives last week to improve industry collaboration and urge a successful crushing season in 2023.
Evaluating the key impacts of the 2022 crush, that extended into January 2023 and saw just short of 95% of the sugar cane crop processed, MAC Chairman Joseph Borg and Mackay Sugar Chairman and Nordzucker Group Manager Michael Gerloff, along with Mackay Sugar CEO Jannik Olejas, identified several key topics to address in the lead up to next season.
Acknowledging the impact of weather and the increasing crop during the season, Mr. Borg said, “Milling performance was certainly a vital topic we wanted to address, on behalf of Mackay local growers and harvester groups.
“Throughout last season, Mackay Sugar’s milling performance was substandard overall, despite some positive signs of improvement, such as the relatively good rate and reliability at Racecourse mill,” he said.
“The other key factor in seeing a more successful 2023 season is identifying solutions to overcome the widespread labour and skills shortage that is affecting both the growing sector and milling maintenance and operations.
“CANEGROWERS Mackay is already acting on behalf of the grower and harvesting sector on the issues, in the lead up to the coming season” Mr Borg said.
“Mr Gerloff clearly outlined Mackay Sugar’s strategy and reaffirmed Nordzucker’s commitment to the region, which has given me a level of confidence.”
For Mackay Sugar, the meeting was an important next step in maintaining open and transparent communication and collaboration with growers and industry representatives.
“Nordzucker Group invested in Mackay Sugar because we saw great value in the region and local industry and this has not changed,” Mr Gerloff explained.
“If anything, the significant increase in crop size we saw last year strengthens our commitment, and further fuels our plans to see Mackay Sugar operate as the sustainable and agile business we know it will be,” he said.
At the conclusion of the meeting, both parties confirmed the importance of ongoing collaboration and industry alignment when it comes to ensuring a sustainable business for all parties.
“We all want the same thing - and that’s productive crops with efficient crushing seasons, making the most of what our region can deliver,” said Mr Olejas.
“Whilst we can’t control things like the weather, we can deliver improved performance in the mills with the ultimate ambition to ensure that even the largest of crops - farmed and safeguarded by committed growers - can be processed.”
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