Torrential rain from Tropical Cyclone Debbie prevented damage assessments to cane crops in the Mackay and Proserpine regions late today but industry leaders suspect the damage will be significant.
Fourth generation grower Glenn Clarke, Proserpine, said it looked like his crop had been “steamrolled”.
“It’s just flattened,” Mr Clarke said. “It’s pretty hard to say what sort of loss there will be but I would say there will be significant damage in places, for sure.
“It’s a tangled mess, there is a bit of stalk breakage and tops have been broken off.”
Mr Clarke estimated the farm had received 250mm in about 36 hours.
Mr Clarke, Canegrowers Proserpine chairman, said the crop was three-quarters grown, and stood about three to four metres tall.
“We will certainly try and harvest and rescue what is there,” he said.
“There will be some quality issues, CCS problems and suckers may want to grow.
“But it’s a pretty damn hard crop to kill so we will give a good go at trying to harvest it.”
Canegrowers Mackay chairman Kevin Borg grows cane 100km south of Mackay and said he had received reports of crops being “battered” from TC Debbie closer to Mackay.
“A lot of it is lodged so that’s going to make it difficult to harvest,” Mr Borg said. “It’s still retrievable. It’s not a right off or anything.”
Mr Borg said while TC Debbie had passed, the concern now turned to weather conditions in the days ahead.
“We would like the clouds to clear and sun to come out,” Mr Borg said.
“That would be good but this low is predicted to go inland and then swing back over southeast Queensland which may pose problems for Bundaberg growers.”