Towards functional specifications of a sampling scheme for commercial sampling of prepared cane : final report V89/17

Abstract

Payment by Australian sugar mills to sugar can growers has for many years been based on samples of "first expressed juice" - the juice squeezed from prepared cane at the number one mill. This basis for payment is perceived by some sugar industry bodies as being less than completely satisfactory. The weaknesses being focussed on in this. report is that it is an inferential method. The amount of pol in first expressed juice is used to estimate the total amount of pol in the cane. This is unsatisfactory because the relationship between pol in first expressed juice and total pol was derived many years ago when there was less pressure exerted at the number one mill. The relationship has not been altered to allow more accurate estimation of total pol.

In reference 5, page 3, the Sugar Research Council suggested that future ;tudy and research in the area of miller-grower equity assessment should include "a technology survey and research on effective equipment and techniques for sampling shredded cane by time division of the full flow of cane." The Sugar Research Council has provided funds for travel to South Africa, allow ing Jeff Loughran of the Sugar Research. Institute and me to review the methods of sampling prepared cane used there. It has also funded projects in which I am to give functional specifications for a . prepared cane sampling system and Jeff Loughran is to provide detailed engineering specifications and estimated costings for a prototype system. This prototype is to be designed to achieve satisfactory accuracy for grower-miller equity. i.e. for deciding total division of monies between millers and growers.