Qld cane farmers to create sugar blockchain

Queensland Sugar will partner with Queensland Cane Growers to build a blockchain to keep track of the provenance of sugar being produced.

The four year project received a $2.25 million smart farm grant from the federal government.

The idea behind the blockchain is to show “big sugar buyers” like soft drink makers how sustainably a key input into their products - sugar - was grown.

“Big sugar buyers, who are seeking more and more sustainably grown product, are likely to pay more in future for sustainably grown and fully traceable sugar as their customers ask for it,” the government said in a statement.

Member for Capricornia Michelle Landry said she hoped that “down the track”, the system would allow for an increase in farm gate prices paid for Queensland-grown sugar.

Federal minister for agriculture and water resources David Littleproud raised an example of US-based Coca-Cola (rather than the local subsidiary), which he said “has a plan to source 100 percent of its sugar from sustainable sources by 2020.”

"Blockchain technology would help Coca-Cola to pinpoint sustainably grown sugar in the supply chain, where it came from and who grew it,” Littleproud said.

"This technology would provide assurances around the sustainability of our sugar and ensure cane farmers using sustainable practices can attract a premium price for their product.”