TC Judy and TC Kevin Impacts on Sugarcane Crops

After the back-to-back cyclones Judy and Kevin hit the sugarcane fields of Efate within just three days, our team sprang into action, surveying the damage and assessing the impact on the current and upcoming sugarcane season. Over the course of two weeks, we meticulously combed through the fields, analysing the extent of the damage and strategising on how to mitigate the effects of the storms.

Despite significant challenges, including limited resources and a lack of experience in sugarcane farming, we quickly developed a plan to salvage as much of the sugarcane crop as possible. We prioritised the harvesting of the largest canes that had fallen over, while also taking care to prevent the development of rot or disease in the fields by cutting the broken canes.

The cyclones have caused significant damage to the sugarcane crop in Efate. Although we believe that we will be able to salvage some of the sugarcane, up to 60% of the new crop for the next season has unfortunately been damaged. However, we can take solace in the fact that most farmers had expanded their fields this year, which will somewhat mitigate the losses. Additionally, the damaged crop will regrow, which will help us stretch the season longer in the year, allowing us to recover some of the losses incurred due to the storms.

To better understand the impact of the cyclones on the vegetation of Efate, we compared the satellite imagery that we took in December 2022 to one taken a few days after the cyclones on March 9. The loss of green cover is significant, and it is clear that the cyclones have caused extensive damage to the environment. However, we remain committed to supporting the growth of the sugarcane industry and helping farmers to recover from the effects of the storms. By leveraging our expertise and resources, we believe that we can help farmers to minimise the impact of the cyclones on their livelihoods and ensure a brighter future for the industry as a whole.

At our company, we are committed to supporting the growth of the sugarcane industry and helping farmers to weather the challenges that they face. We look forward to continuing to support sugarcane farmers in the future.