Sugarcane farmers are facing losses ranging from $3 to $5 per tonne due to the practice of sending burnt cane to mills for processing, according to Vimal Dutt, CEO of the Sugar Cane Growers Council. Dutt expressed the council’s deep concerns regarding the rising trend of cane burning, which has led to significant financial losses for the industry over the years.
He noted that while some incidents of burning are accidental, many are intentional, often done for convenience in harvesting or to bypass the harvesting queue. “Each year, the industry is losing millions of dollars that could otherwise benefit the growers and cutters,” Dutt stated. He emphasized that as the incidence of burning increases, so do the financial losses, estimating an average loss of $3-$5 per tonne.
Dutt highlighted that regardless of the reasons behind cane burning, it is detrimental to everyone involved. “Cane burning severely impacts our industry and diminishes the income of growers due to penalties associated with burnt cane,” he said. Burning damages the sugar content in the cane, causing it to deteriorate more quickly compared to green cane, leading to further financial losses as lower-quality cane is produced.
He pointed out that the decline in sugar quality contributes to significant monetary losses each year, compounding the issue for growers. Additionally, burnt cane results in poor sugar quality and creates challenges for the milling process. This leads to increased milling costs and extends the crushing season due to slower processing times. Dutt stressed the importance of harvesting green cane to mitigate these problems.