Sugarcane – a sweet treat for Ekka

Hosted by CANEGROWERS, with strong support from Sunshine Sugar, Sugar Research Australia, and the Queensland Farmers’ Federation, the sugarcane industry stand has gone from strength to strength since making its long-awaited Ekka return in 2022.

Even heavy rain mid-week couldn’t dampen spirits, with CANEGROWERS Chairman Owen Menkens amazed by the positive feedback from visitors.

“I had the privilege of working on the stand one afternoon and witnessing firsthand how interested and enthusiastic people are about the industry,” Mr Menkens said.

“It’s amazing to realise how many people have a connection to sugarcane, whether through family or friends, working in the industry, or having visited cane-growing regions as children.

“So many people just wanted to come to the stand and reflect on their positive experiences with our industry.”

A virtual reality journey through the industry was a huge drawcard again this year, with people of all ages and walks of life enjoying the immersive experience.

“We had new state-of-the-art headsets and a brand new 360-degree VR video that took people on a journey through the industry, from planting and growing through to harvesting, milling, and exporting raw sugar,” Mr Menkens said.

“The feedback was one hundred percent positive, and everyone who did the VR experience went away with a much better understanding and appreciation of the industry.”

Working on the Ekka stand was also a positive personal experience for the Burdekin cane grower, one that he would encourage more farmers to try if they get the opportunity.

“As farmers, dealing with all the physical, financial, and regulatory burdens that come with the job, I think we can sometimes feel that people from the city don’t understand the challenges and may even have a negative view of agriculture.

“But being at the Ekka and talking to the thousands of people who come through the stand makes you realise that, by-and-large, city folk appreciate farmers and care about our agricultural communities. They simply want to know more about farming.

“They may not know or understand all of the challenges, but they’re interested and they care.

“I'm really pleased to see the significant efforts CANEGROWERS is going to every day, working harder to get the positive stories about agriculture out to the whole community.”