Sugar Cane Growing

A prominent historian is reviving questions about the final resting place of up to 1,000 South Sea Islander workers, fearing some remains could be located where a ward is set to be built at Mackay Base Hospital.

A Far North Queensland sugar town is losing its mill and growers are calling for government help to harvest what could be their last crop.

Scientists have mapped the genome of sugar cane and the hope is that farmers will be able to grow the versatile crop to make biofuel.

The closure of Far North Queensland's Mossman Mill will not just affect its workers — sugarcane growers are also facing an uncertain future and many have expressed fears about what will become of their families and their town.

A rescue package promised earlier this year has failed to materialise for one of Australia's oldest sugar mills that will close in Far North Queensland.

Farmers and landowners claim a major local, state, and federal government project aimed at reducing flood risks could kill crops and breed swarms of mosquitoes spreading Ross River fever.

A 127-year-old mill in a cyclone-affected community is under administration and was facing permanent closure when a last-minute bid arrived.

With creditors voting on liquidation at a meeting today, Queensland's premier and cabinet offers canegrowers and concerned Mossman community members an unexpected funding package as they protest on the doorstep of a town hall meeting.

Mossman Sugar Mill, an operation north of Cairns employing around 150 workers and supplied by about 80 growers, is placed into voluntary administration.

The future of Australia's northernmost sugar mill is in doubt, sparking fears about what lies ahead for growers and the shire that relies on its economic heft.

Free trade talks between Australia and the European Union appear as far away as ever after talks break down again, writes Jane Norman. 

Rats take over a shed at a residence in Richmond, Queensland, with owner Peter Bennett saying he kills "about 30 rats a night".

Consumers looking for plant-based options already have an abundance of choices, from oat, almond, soy, and rice, to even macadamia milk. So, what does sugar cane milk have to offer?

The weather bureau is forecasting more rain across northern Queensland this week to the dismay of farmers and tourism authorities.

If you think your favourite chocolate treat seems a bit more expensive than usual, you are not wrong — and analysts say factors including weather and war will keep pushing the price up.

The Ashes may have soured ties between Australia and the UK last week, but Aussie sugar is set to ease tensions with a sweet deal.

Cocoa trades are at their highest level in nearly four decades. Chocolate maker and small business owner Neil Druce says, there will be gradual price increases over time due to the supply issues.

Cotton is known as a desert crop, but farms are appearing in unexpected regions across Queensland — even in traditional cane country.

Robert Magarey has spent his career looking for solutions to diseases that threaten Australia's sugar industry, finding the greatest reward in helping growers.

The hospitality and agricultural industries in regional Queensland are bracing for impact with electricity bills expected to surge by nearly 30 per cent next month. 

With port and rail infrastructure already in place, the project to create environmentally cleaner aviation fuel will be based in north Queensland.

The Australian sugar industry is anticipating solid profits as global sugarcane prices hit record highs and great weather conditions see crops flourish.

What started with a blunt conversation between strangers at the pub has helped Paul Schembri Jnr pursue his farming dream — despite many telling him it would be impossible. 

As the 2023 harvest approaches, sugarcane growers are locking in some of their best prices in decades.

Severe thunderstorms drench parts of regional Queensland where sugarcane planting is underway, setting some farmers back by weeks.