Media | State News

Premier must act on India sugar dumping

2nd September 2019

Queensland’s sugar industry has again been left reeling after India again approved the dumping of millions of tonnes of subsidised sugar onto the world market.

It will mean the price paid for Australian sugar will continue to crash.

India will dump a further 6 million tonnes over the next year, in addition to the 5 million it dumped last year*.

LNP Shadow Agriculture Minister Tony Perrett has called on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to ramp up pressure on the Indian Government to reverse the decision.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk and Trade and Investment Queensland have been missing in action,” Mr Perrett said.

“This is a crisis.

“Our Premier is more than happy to jet off overseas, but when it comes to standing up to India for our hard-working cane growers, she has nothing to say.

“Is the Premier happy to see our cane growers suffer? If that’s not true, then it’s time to see some action from the Palaszczuk Labor Government.

“Inaction is not an option when communities and their 22,600 direct and indirect jobs across the state are on the line.

“The price being paid to our farmers for their cane is already below the cost of production.

“Add this to the anti-farmer, anti-jobs and anti-regions Reef Laws currently before parliament and it paints a dark picture for Queensland’s $4 billion cane and industry.

“Coastal communities being put under threat by Labor’s proposed unfair Reef Laws will drive down production and cost local jobs.

“These pressures are already having damaging impacts on cane communities right along the coast.

“It’s time to back our sugar industry. It’s time to send India a message that it is not OK to do this to our fellow Queenslanders.”

* CANEGROWERS & Australian Sugar Millers Council joint statement: http://www.canegrowers.com.au/page/media/media-releases/2019/industry-stunned-as-india-approvas-mega-package-to-support-sugar-exports



Queensland’s sugar industry has again been left reeling after India again approved the dumping of millions of tonnes of subsidised sugar onto the world market.

It will mean the price paid for Australian sugar will continue to crash.

India will dump a further 6 million tonnes over the next year, in addition to the 5 million it dumped last year*.

LNP Shadow Agriculture Minister Tony Perrett has called on Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to ramp up pressure on the Indian Government to reverse the decision.

“Annastacia Palaszczuk and Trade and Investment Queensland have been missing in action,” Mr Perrett said.

“This is a crisis.

“Our Premier is more than happy to jet off overseas, but when it comes to standing up to India for our hard-working cane growers, she has nothing to say.

“Is the Premier happy to see our cane growers suffer? If that’s not true, then it’s time to see some action from the Palaszczuk Labor Government.

“Inaction is not an option when communities and their 22,600 direct and indirect jobs across the state are on the line.

“The price being paid to our farmers for their cane is already below the cost of production.

“Add this to the anti-farmer, anti-jobs and anti-regions Reef Laws currently before parliament and it paints a dark picture for Queensland’s $4 billion cane and industry.

“Coastal communities being put under threat by Labor’s proposed unfair Reef Laws will drive down production and cost local jobs.

“These pressures are already having damaging impacts on cane communities right along the coast.

“It’s time to back our sugar industry. It’s time to send India a message that it is not OK to do this to our fellow Queenslanders.”

* CANEGROWERS & Australian Sugar Millers Council joint statement: http://www.canegrowers.com.au/page/media/media-releases/2019/industry-stunned-as-india-approvas-mega-package-to-support-sugar-exports