Employment in the regions is always a hot topic, with many people unemployed or forced to move away to find work. But there are opportunities available for those willing and able to take them.

In 2022, Queensland’s sugar industry suffered significant workforce shortages right across the sector.

Mill workers, farm hands, haul-out drivers, harvester operators, and truck drivers were all in short supply. 

While some areas were more badly affected than others, the overall shortage of workers contributed to the longer season length and around one million tonnes of cane being left in the paddock, unharvested.

In an effort to prevent a repeat of this in 2023, CANEGROWERS has launched a campaign to attract more workers to the sugar industry ahead of this year’s crush, which is now a little over two months away.

The mainly social media campaign will target interstate workers, young travellers, grey nomads, and even qualified international job seekers. 

But ideally, we would love to get more regional Queenslanders working in the industry, as these are the people most likely to stay long-term and be most passionate about the vitality of their region. 

As part of our long-term strategy to encourage more young people into the industry, we have created curriculum-aligned lessons that will teach primary and secondary-aged students about the opportunities that exist within Queensland’s sugar industry.

But the fact remains, we need workers now!

So, if you or someone you know is unemployed or just looking for a new opportunity, or has a general interest in working in the sugar industry, please get in touch with your local CANEGROWERS office or visit the Work in the Industry page on the CANEGROWERS website to see what opportunities are available for you. 

The sugar industry is one of Queensland’s oldest surviving industries and has been the backbone of regional communities along the Queensland coast for well over a century. 

But our best days are still ahead of us. In fact, this is possibly the most exciting time to join the sugarcane industry, as we are on the cusp of an evolution that, over the next decade, will see our industry become one of the major players in Queensland’s bioeconomy. 

Time to resolve terminals issue

CANEGROWERS is calling on the owners and operators of Queensland’s bulk sugar terminals to put aside their differences and come together to find a long-term solution to the operation of these strategically significant industry assets.

Representatives from Sugar Terminals Limited (STL) and Queensland Sugar Limited (QSL) fronted grower-leaders at the CANEGROWERS Policy Council meeting in Brisbane this month, to explain why terminal operations has suddenly become one of the most contentious issues facing the industry. 

These terminals are a huge asset to the industry. They give us a significant competitive advantage in the world market and their efficient, effective and safe operation as a service to the industry is paramount.

Growers were the major investors in these facilities, so, we’re not about to sit quietly back and see that legacy risked in any way because these organisations are unable to agree what’s actually in the best interests of the industry.

Both parties need to come together and resolve their operational issues in an orderly way.