Biofuels race picks up pace
This week I've been in Singapore at the Argus Biofuels & Feedstocks Asia Conference, and one thing has really stood out – the global push into biofuels isn’t slowing down, in fact, it's rapidly picking up pace.
Across Asia and beyond, governments and fuel companies are getting serious about alternatives like ethanol, biodiesel and sustainable aviation fuel. A big part of that is emissions targets, but just as important is energy security – making sure countries aren’t so exposed to global shocks.
Given what we’re seeing right now with fuel and fertiliser price and supply pressures, that really hit home. These pressures are a reminder of how vulnerable we are when we rely so heavily on imports.
There’s a clear opportunity here. Sugarcane is already part of the solution, and with the right policy and investment settings, we could be doing a lot more – for fuel security, regional jobs and the long-term strength of the industry.
Now is the time to act
Now is the time to act
Speaking of biofuels, you may have seen in the media that the parliamentary committee investigating a sugarcane-based biofuels industry in Queensland has handed down its report. While the report was broadly positive, the recommendations didn’t have the scale or urgency we would have liked.
Successive governments have been kicking the biofuels can down the road for too long – it’s now time to back up all that talk with real action.
EU deal letdown
EU deal letdown
While there was a least some encouragement in the state government's biofuels report, there was nothing positive for sugarcane in the disastrous trade deal Australia signed with the European Union in March.
When it came to agriculture – particularly sugar – Australian negotiators effectively capitulated to protectionist interests in Europe. Sugar secured only token access to the EU market, and those conditions will be locked in for decades to come.
Supply pressure
Supply pressure
In case you missed it, earlier this week we wrote to all members with an update on the fuel and fertiliser supply issues currently facing the industry, and what CANEGROWERS is doing to represent your interests at a supply chain, state and national level. If you haven’t already read it, click below.
Podcast
From global dominance to a shifting market
In this episode of Around the Paddock, Jonathan Williams and Stephen Geldart from Czarnikow join from London to reflect on when Australia led global raw sugar exports and the challenge was finding homes for massive crops.
They unpack how quality, logistics and relationships kept Queensland competitive – and why getting the last call from a refiner still matters.
Stephen brings it to today – a tougher market, Brazil’s rise, and where future demand could come from, from biofuels to new industrial uses for sugar.
Find us on Spotify and Apple Podcast or listen below.
Classroom push
We’re continuing to build on our work in the education space, with new resources now available for both students and teachers.
In partnership with the Primary Industries Education Foundation Australia, we’ve launched a new Years 9–10 eLearning course – Growing Smarter | Exploring Australian Sugarcane Production. It gives students a practical look at the industry, from paddock to packet, and how growers are supporting economic, environmental and social sustainability.
The course is made up of five short units and is designed to be easy to use in or out of the classroom.
We’ve also released a free teacher professional development webinar, helping educators confidently bring sugarcane into the classroom using curriculum-aligned resources.
Both are available now and are a simple way to help lift understanding of our industry in schools and the wider community.
Our stories
If you haven’t been keeping up with our Voices of Cane Country video series, it’s well worth a look.
The series is part of our centenary celebrations and captures the stories of growers and families who have helped build this industry over generations. Episode 3 was released this month, and many of you will recognise the grower featured.
Leading Voice
Finally, I thought you might be interested in a quick snapshot of how strong your voice is in the media landscape. After all, one of our core advocacy roles is making sure growers are heard - so we track our performance in this area closely.
As you can see from the chart below, since 1 January, the sugar industry has been mentioned in the media 2,842 times across print, digital and broadcast platforms.
CANEGROWERS accounted for more than 2,000 of those mentions – around 72%.
Milling companies accounted for 20.5%, while other industry stakeholders – including SRA, STL, QSL and ASM – received almost 7% of coverage.
It’s a clear sign that when it comes to speaking up for the industry, CANEGROWERS is leading the conversation – and that voice is always grounded in what’s best for our members.
