CANEGROWERS Media Release

 

Cane growers will attend local meetings this fortnight, calling for transparent price setting of water, based on cost-efficient schemes.

 

Having just come out of one of the toughest seasons on record, cane growers are particularly keen to ensure that the prices they are being asked to pay for water – in many cases a key and considerable cost in the business of growing cane – are as low as possible.

 

“Cane growers want to be sure their local scheme is being run as efficiently as possible, and as water is such a large cost for many of our growers, we are expecting them to use the irrigator customer meetings to drill down and ask the tough questions about efficiency of their local schemes,” says CANEGROWERS CEO, Steve Greenwood.

 

A report from consultants commissioned by the Queensland Competition Authority released early this week clearly identify that SunWater has not been able to provide enough information to allow an adequate analysis of scheme costs.

 

The time available to do this is very tight as QCA is due to deliver a draft report by mid-year and finalise their report to the State Government in August.

 

CANEGROWERS will be working with the Queensland Farmers’ Federation to ensure the enough time is allowed for a complete review. “We need a strong system, based on robust data, from a detailed efficiency analysis – and if we need more time to get good data – then we will make sure we put a strong case to Government to ensure that it’s given,” says Greenwood.

 

CANEGROWERS says the meetings are a way for growers to put pressure on QCA to provide an adequate basis for recommending an efficient price path for each local scheme, and is encouraging irrigators to attend a meeting in their local area to ensure their voice is heard.

 

Place	Date/time	Venue
Mackay	4 April, 9.30 am-12.30 pm	Magpies sporting club
Proserpine	4 April, 4.30 pm -7.30 pm	CANEGROWERS Proserpine
Burdekin	5 April, 9.30 am-12.30 pm	Clare club
Mareeba	6 April, 9.00 am-12.00 pm	Mareeba RSL
Maryborough	14 April, 1.30 pm-4.30 pm	CANEGROWERS Maryborough
Bundaberg	15 April, 9.30 am-12.30 pm	Old Bundy tavern

 

Media Comment:  Steve Greenwood, CANEGROWERS CEO, 0488 721 156. 

For more information:  Suzi Moore, CANEGROWERS Communications 0427 641 239