Bulk Sugar Terminals
Working to maintain Queensland sugar's competitive advantage through expert operation of the industry's bulk sugar terminals
Queensland’s six purpose-built bulk sugar terminals are vital industry assets. They give us a significant competitive advantage in the world market and their efficient, effective and safe operation as a service to the industry is paramount. Queensland’s sugarcane farmers funded two-thirds of the construction costs of these terminals.
In January 2023, Sugar Terminals Limited (STL) announced its decision to terminate a longstanding partnership with Queensland Sugar Limited (QSL) for the operation of the industry’s bulk sugar terminals. This decision, which will come into effect in 2026, has caused division within the industry.
Key areas of work:
CANEGROWERS has been working closely with both QSL and STL to find a solution that is in the best interests of the whole industry.
CANEGROWERS has set out very clear expectations of the STL Board. These expectations, which were determined by grower leaders from across the state at the November 2023 Policy Council meeting, include:
- Terminal ownership and control must remain within the active side of the Australian sugar industry
- Reliable operations of terminals must guarantee and prioritise sugar is ready for trade
- Pricing models must be transparent, operating on a cost recovery basis and with no differential pricing across terminal facilities
- Growers should be encouraged to become active in their use of their voting rights and be encouraged to use their votes to influence the operations of STL
- Storage and operations of terminals should not disadvantage any marketer in either the allocation of space or pricing
