Premier Campbell Newman and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry John McVeigh met with sugar industry leaders last week to sign a Memorandum of Understanding with BSES Limited, which will see the State government provide an additional $4.6 million over four years for industry research, development and extension (R,D&E).
Member for Burnett, Stephen Bennett said Queensland’s $1.2 billion sugar industry would benefit significantly from the funding boost which would strengthen research into better yields and better productivity.
“The extra funding of $4.6 million over four years is an election commitment, which will bring total investment for the sugar industry to $16 million over that time frame,” Mr Bennett said.
Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry John McVeigh said the new funding would support research projects that increased yield, productivity, encouraged greater efficiency along the supply chain, maintained environmental sustainability, and helped find diversification opportunities.
“One very important project will look at better selection programs to develop varieties that tick all the boxes – higher yield, higher sugar content, disease resistance and tolerance to weather extremes,” Mr McVeigh said.
“It’s critical for researchers and growers to get this kind of ‘parental selection’ right as it underpins all new sugar variety development and improvements in productivity.
“If we can identify the best parents to give crosses that are the most productive and disease resistant in Queensland conditions, we can stop the decline in yield and build to a 36 million tonnes per year industry.
“Other projects include developing nutrient, disease and weed management technologies that can be integrated into farming systems to increase productivity and profitability.”
Mr Bennett said the $4.6 million investment over four years would start with $1 million in 2012/13, $1.1 million the following year, followed by $1.2 million and $1.3 million in subsequent years.
“Our investment in sugar research and development supports future growth of the sugar industry, and will help achieve the ambitious but achievable goal of doubling Queensland’s food production by 2040,” he said.
“To reach this goal we must invest more in research and development and that is exactly what we are doing.”