This is a smidgeon up on the 2010 harvest of around 27.5 Mt – the worst harvest on record due to an unseasonal big wet which marred production.

“Weather dependent, the initial estimates for 2012 could well put Australian production back up at around the 31-32 Mt mark,” sCanegrowers CEO Steve Greenwood said.

Reports of the best crush on record in the Burdekin seem at odds with the general state of play in the Australian industry this year.

“The Burdekin bought in around 9.5 Mt – but it is important to note that that includes a good whack of cane which could not be harvested due to poor weather conditions in 2010, left to standover to this year.”

While actual planting data will not be known until March next year, indications from sugarcane areas across Australia suggests plantings may be up as much as 20%, but it is important to note that this year’s planting includes replacing cyclone, flood and smut damaged ratoons, as well as some additional area being put back into cane.

How the season played out

Starting from a wet base ...

Torrential downpours on the eastern-seaboard washed away hopes of a record season in 2010, and continued to cause adversity in the field in 2011. Boggy fields had kept heavy harvest machinery from being able to bring in the in 2010 crop, leaving up to 18% of the crop unharvested, left to standover until the 2011 season. Adding insult to injury, the big wet left growers unable to replant their 2011 season’s quota, which together with fields damaged by heavy machinery trying to salvage cane wherever possible, and the lower profitability from standover cane, saw a continued dampening of productivity and profitability in 2011.

Followed by flooding ...

Extraordinary rainfall in the southern region of Queensland and northern New South Wales ravaged the plant cane in early 2011, flooding out large tracts of cane area, washing debris through paddocks and playing its part in keeping sugar content in the cane low – and less profitable to mill.

Followed by cyclone ...

Cyclone Yasi’s impact is only now being truly measured. Debris strewn in paddocks was still a major problem for many growers in cyclone-hit regions during this year’s harvest. The cane that was broken and battered during the cyclone had, in many cases, not reached full growth – further reducing cane supply.