On The Land
29 August, 2024
Mill expands crushing capacity
A MAJOR upgrade to the MSF’s Tableland Sugar Mill will enable the operation to push its processing capacity to one million tonnes of sugar cane next year.
The $13 million investment, which will expand the mill’s capacity from its current 850,000 tonnes to one million, is in response to requests from growers.
Senior cane supply manager Mick Ward said the mill wanted to encourage growers to expand production and would upgrade the milling train, juice and syrup processing, and cooling water systems to cater for the increased tonnage.
“Existing growers have asked to supply more and we have new growers wanting to enter the industry,” Mr Ward said.
“Some of the cane we’re now seeing is coming from the southern Tablelands, generally from ex-maize or ex-potato farms – that red soil is excellent for cane and there’s a higher rainfall over that way so there isn’t as much need for irrigation.”
Mr Ward said sugar had also remained at a good price point and growers could now lock in a price for a period of years which gave them certainty going forward and the confidence to invest in new plantings.
The additional processing capacity will also reap additional benefits, with the mill able to boost its electricity production via the $100 million green energy power plant at the Arriga site.
“We export a significant amount of power into the grid at the moment and this extra tonnage will allow us to produce more bagasse, therefore, more power,” Mr Ward said.
Factory manager Peter Chohan said the Tablelands Mill expected to process 1,600 hectares of new plantings over the 9,000 hectares currently under cane.
The mill’s current crushing season is for 820,000 tonnes, with 45% completed at around 13.63 CCS. The crushing is expected to be finished by December.
The upgrade to the mill will take place in the new year and is expected to be completed by May.
