The country’s Australian sugar industry leaders have carved out a vision for the future following a forum which involved Canegrowers, Australian Sugar Milling Council, Australian Cane Farmers’ Association, and Sugar Research Australia.

The agreed working vision is: Sugar Plus: a vibrant, transforming industry, sustainably producing sugar and bio-products at the heart of regional communities.

Through foresight and innovation, the Australian sugar industry has demonstrated its resilience through many challenges and to grasp opportunities.

Building on the vision the aim is to enhance sugarcane and sugar production efficiencies and supply chain infrastructure to secure a prosperous long-term future, and sustainably meet the needs of our Australian and global customers, and our regional communities.

Leaders also recognised there is a longer-term opportunity to position the sugar industry at the centre of the renewable economy through research and policies that can underpin and create commercial opportunities.

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Organisations are now identifying priorities to bring the vision to life, including:

• a unified strategy that recognises the industry’s existing contribution and future potential, and to
• assess the policy and financial barriers to greater investment in bioproducts, to bridge the gap between what is technically possible, and what is commercially viable.

The representatives agreed to meet regularly in 2021 to progress industry priorities, and to maintain regular communication with industry and government stakeholders.