Queensland’s 2026 sugarcane crushing season is officially underway, with harvesters beginning operations in the Tablelands and the first cane scheduled to be processed at MSF Sugar’s Arriga Mill near Cairns. CANEGROWERS expects around 29 million tonnes of cane to be harvested and processed across the state by December. However, Chairman Owen Menkens says the season may be one of the most financially and emotionally challenging in recent years for cane-farming families, as lower sugar prices and rising production costs offset the benefits of a strong crop and generally favourable weather conditions. The crush will expand throughout June from Far North Queensland to the Gold Coast, supporting one of Australia’s most important agricultural industries.