Deadline approaching as Canegrowers remind State Government not to abandon Mossman
MILL DISCUSSION
Canegrowers and the Australian Cane Farmers Association have called on the State Government to support Mossman’s recovery as the Far North Queensland community continues to struggle in the aftermath of ex-Tropical Cyclone Jasper
Tourism revenue has plummeted since Jasper struck on December 13 and now the region’s only other major employer, Mossman Mill is in jeopardy.
“People are still doing it really tough in Mossman,” Canegrowers Mossman chairman Matt Watson said.
“The town was basically isolated for weeks after Jasper. Homes, businesses, and farms were all inundated by flooding and the water has taken so long to subside due to continuing rainfall that the community is still counting the cost.
“One thing we do know is that tourism, which is one of the region’s biggest industries, has fallen off significantly. That’s had a huge impact on the community.
“To make matters worse, Mossman’s single biggest employer, the Daintree Bio Precinct, is now in real jeopardy if the government doesn’t step in and help secure its future.”
The bio-precinct and its subsidiaries, including Far Northern Milling (FNM), contribute around $190 million to the local economy annually and employ 570 people, almost a third of the town’s population.
Last year’s sugarcane season was challenging for the whole Queensland industry due to particularly challenging weather conditions that resulted in tonnage and sugar content being down by 15%.
As a result, FNM found itself in the position where it no longer had enough funding to support the 2024 harvesting season and entered voluntary administration on November 20.
The administration process was paused when Jasper hit, with the company given a 45-day reprieve to come up with a viable solution to save the precinct.
Now, with that deadline rapidly approaching, a consortium has come forward with a plan to turn the precinct into a green energy hub, but only if the State Government supports the initiative through guaranteeing the 2024 and 2025 seasons.
“The bio-precinct was an excellent idea when it was launched in 2019 and it’s still an excellent idea today. Unfortunately, the transition process has taken longer than first anticipated, but it would be a shame for it to fall over when we’re so far down the track,” Mr Watson said.
“Since 2019, Mossman growers have been paying a $2 per tonne Sustainability Levy to ensure the Mossman Mill could continue crushing, both to produce sugar and supply feedstock for the bio-precinct. That’s more than $7 million that growers have contributed to mill operations.
“On top of this, local growers have already invested $12 million to establish the 2024 crop. It is critical that this crop is harvested and processed so that growers can recoup this investment and maintain their future financial viability.”