COVID-19 INFORMATION
Australia’s sugar industry is planning and working towards the start of the 2020 harvest and crush in a way that keeps people safe and meets requirements around minimising the spread of COVID-19.
“Maintaining food production, access to workers, agricultural supply lines, transportation and logistics is absolutely critical and will not be affected by any of the measures aimed at curbing the virus’s spread.”
CANEGROWERS took the initiative to convene an Australian sugar industry working group to assess and plan for the short, medium and long-term impacts of the outbreak. "Growers and others in the industry are understandably concerned about what could happen in the coming months,” CANEGROWERS CEO Dan Galligan said. "By bringing together, on regular teleconferences, grower representatives with people from the mills, marketers and port facilities we will be able to talk through scenarios and ensure that there is cooperation at every level. "We are very conscious of the importance of our industry, of which growers are the foundation, to the local, state and national economies. We are also wanting to ensure that however the industry works as the 2020 season ramps up over the coming months, our people are kept as safe as possible.” CANEGROWERS is representing the sugarcane industry on Queensland State Disaster Management committees and working groups that are meeting at least weekly to consider supply chain, workplace health and safety, workforce availability and business continuity impacts. The Queensland Government, to date, has assured the agricultural sector that are able to move across the state’s otherwise closed borders. At the national level, CANEGROWERS is representing sugarcane industry interests on a National Farmers' Federation-convened consultative group that is meeting regularly with the Federal Agriculture Minister and Federal Department of Agriculture to forecast and manage impacts. Following a concerted campaign from the farm sector, led by the NFF, the Agriculture Minister David Littleproud confirmed that Australia’s food production and supply chain will not be affected by coronavirus shutdowns.
MILLING
David Littleproud
CANEGROWERS While the situation is changing constantly, be assured that CANEGROWERS is continuing, as always, to work on behalf of growers and the industry. The CANEGROWERS website contains a dedicated page for COVID-19 news and information relevant to the sugarcane industry. Access it via the home page: www.canegrowers.com.au
AUSTRALIAN SUGAR MILLING COUNCIL Queensland’s raw sugar manufacturers are prioritising staff health and safety while continuing necessary maintenance to prepare the mills to commence the crushing season on schedule. All companies have undertaken scenario planning and adjusted their continuity plans to minimise impacts on the business. Companies are also in close contact with their customers and
WILMAR - John Pratt, Exec GM - NQ logistics partners to ensure raw sugar continues to be marketed efficiently domestically and internationally. Like other agricultural and manufacturing sectors, ASMC has worked closely with various government ministers and departments to secure 'essential service' designation for milling operations and those that supply and rely on these businesses. - David Pietsch CEO
6
We’re continuing to prepare for the start of crushing in June. This includes finalising pre-season crop estimates, completing the maintenance program at our eight mills and recruiting our seasonal workforce. The COVID-19 outbreak has created new challenges for our business, our people and the 1500 growers who supply our mills.
