Suitable sugarcane to diversify income and add value

Delivered by Far Northern Milling, Sugar Research Australia and The University of Queensland, the project investigated how sugarcane biomass could be better utilised to support new bio-based industries in tropical Far North Queensland. The research developed detailed chemical profiles of sugarcane stems and leaves across commercial and high-biomass varieties, while also assessing sorghum as a complementary biomass crop. The project confirmed the potential to maintain sucrose production while significantly increasing total carbon output through fibre, molasses and ligno-cellulosic fractions. Researchers identified 19 commercially relevant metabolites within sugarcane biomass, demonstrating the potential for higher-value products beyond raw sugar, including biofuels, biochemicals and fermentation-based products. Importantly, the project defined two viable diversification pathways for northern Australia: short-rotation, high-biomass cropping systems suited to drier development regions, and integrated energy and fermentation processing within existing milling infrastructure. The research also confirmed the productivity potential of existing high-fibre cane varieties, reducing the need to wait for future energycane breeding programs before pursuing biomass-focused production systems. The project has helped reduce technical uncertainty around biomass production and biofactory investment, providing the evidence base needed to support future industry diversification. Long-term opportunities identified through the research include new biomass production districts, expansion of secondary processing industries within existing mills, increased production of renewable fuels and specialty chemicals, and more resilient revenue streams for northern Australia’s sugar industry. Project updates Update 1: Project overview Update 2: Sugarcane crop development Update 3: Mid-season crop composition Update 4: Mid-season sugarcane water soluable chemical composition

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