Meeting the market challenge

For many years, Queensland has enjoyed the advantages of preferred supplier status in many of its markets. This status was gained by meeting customer expectations in the key areas of consistent high quality raw sugar, reliability of delivery, and year round supply. Today, major competitors are improving the quality of their raw sugar and their supply logistics. To meet the challenge, Queensland continues to improve its supply logistics. In recent years, harbours have been deepened, and the wharf facilities at Townsville and Mackay upgraded to take panamax size vessels (about 60000 tonnes). To improve year round supply the industry is assessing the construction of additional storage capacity. However, the most significant challenge for Queensland today is in raw sugar quality. Brazil's expansion, and the aggressive marketing of its very high polarisation sugar, has resulted in the loss of some markets and a challenge to our market share in others. Queensland has commenced work on cost effective ways of producing a much higher grade of sugar than its current Brand 1. During the next year or two, the industry must implement a production plan for this sugar which enables it to meet the challenge from Brazil in the marketplace.