WIDESPREAD wet weather has again disrupted the sugar cane harvest in North Queensland with operations at Tully, the Herbert and Burdekin all impacted by the weekend rain.
Tully Sugar's mill fired up for the season last Tuesday, but was operational for only four days before cane supplies dried up.
Tully Canegrowers chairman Jamie Dore said the mill had crushed 38,978 tonnes between Tuesday and Saturday, with an average CCS of 10.85.
Mr Dore said wet conditions had forced the harvest to cease and with more rain on the way it was possible they may not resume until July.
"This week is not looking good, we've got showers this week and into the weekend," Mr Dore said.
"Probably about three out of 10 years we get this sort of start and we don't get going until July, which is regrettable but we do live in the wet tropics.
"The flip side is that is has been a warm, wet winter so the existing crop will be growing, that is one little silver lining."
Elsewhere, Invicta Mill kicked off the crush for the Wilmar group last Wednesday.
It was the first of the four Burdekin mills to start operations, with the season also delayed following wet weather in late May.
Kalamia Mill started crushing operations on Friday, but it came to a halt early on Sunday morning due to the wet weather impact on cane supply. That mill was scheduled to resume crushing later today.
Inkerman started up this morning and Pioneer is due to start tomorrow.
But the Herbert district is also experiencing weather delays.
A Wilmar spokeswoman said the Herbert mills were fully commissioned and ready to roll, but wet conditions had impacted plans to start crushing this week.
She said the company would review the supply situation on Friday and advise growers in that district of the revised start dates.
Further south, Plane Creek is set to start as planned on June 23 and Proserpine on June 30.
