Mackay and Proserpine sugar cane farmers remained positive despite admitting their sugar enterprises were currently unprofitable, leading researcher Dr Jill Windle revealed recently.

The Central Queensland University researcher urged growers to recognise the current slump in prices provided opportunities to diversify.

“Diversification of crops is helping farmers obtain an alternative income during this time, but those who are diversifying in areas that relate to sugar will not benefit as much as those who have moved into different areas of primary production,” she said.

“Bundaberg growers have a real advantage over their Mackay counterparts because the level of diversification in the southern areas is much greater. Mackay growers needn’t just grow sugar as the area is suitable for other crops.” Nearly 30 per cent of Mackay and Proserpine growers had other farming interests, while 75 per cent in Bundaberg had moved into alternative areas of production. “Despite the lack of interest in diversifying, farmers remained optimistic about their futures because they thought the cycle would change and they didn’t expect the bad weather to continue over an extended period of time.” Her findings from surveying 800 growers in 2002/03 concluded that State and Federal Government should offer restructuring packages that relate to regional differences.

Dr Windle said surprisingly farmers were not deterred by the high start-up costs of moving into alternative crops, but were not given enough information to help make positive decisions.

“Limited information in some areas has made them less resilient to change, but in areas such as Bundaberg diversification was acceptable as the sugar growers could see so many others had made the change successfully.” Over 60 per cent of the Mackay and Proserpine cane growers were not interested in diversifying.