CANEGROWERS calls for government support to assist with replanting

As devastating floods ravage North Queensland, CANEGROWERS is urging the State Government to provide financial assistance for replanting lost crops—bringing Queensland in line with other states.

Severe flooding from Townsville to Cairns, including major cane-growing regions like the Burdekin and Herbert River, has destroyed recently planted sugarcane, leaving farmers facing significant financial strain.

While CANEGROWERS is working with the Queensland Government to secure support, current disaster recovery grants do not cover replanting—a critical gap that could force many growers into debt or out of business entirely.

“Sugarcane can withstand a lot, but prolonged submersion is fatal for young crops,” CANEGROWERS CEO Dan Galligan said. “Other states allow grants to cover replanting, but Queensland has failed to adopt this policy. Disaster grants are meant to help businesses recover, and for farmers, that means getting crops back in the ground.”

With some areas receiving six months’ worth of rain in days, Ingham has been particularly hard-hit, and the full extent of the damage remains unclear. CANEGROWERS is calling for immediate government action to modify grant eligibility and ensure growers can rebuild their livelihoods.