Effect of extraneous matter on millers' and growers' costs

Extraneous matter (.E.M) supplied with cane has adverse effects on the economics of mill owners and growers alike. In this paper, the financial effect of E.M. on the industry is examined. This is done using mathematical models which describe several modes of sugar mill operation. These models, being computer-based, can be readily varied to suit a great variety of input conditions, e.g. composition of extraneous matter, mill configuration, effects of E.M. on station performance and the operating and capital costs of cane harvesting and sugar milling. The scope of this undertaking is clear quite large but it has been made manageable by attempting the modelling of cases which are thought to be most representative of sugar mills operating in Queensland today.