The biggest consignment of raw sugar ever shipped to New Zealand passed beneath the Auckland Harbour Bridge and was landed at Birkenhead's Chelsea refinery on Saturday.

The MV Lyttelton carried 32,250 tonnes of raw sugar from Australia - the first of the new season sugar cane harvested by Queensland growers, Chelsea said.

The company said the consignment was nearly 1300 tonnes greater than any previous shipment to the 128-year-old factory, and much larger than the typical cargo of about 27,500 tonnes.

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LoGiCane, the world’s first all natural low glycemic index cane sugar, partly funded by a New Zealand venture capitalist firm, is being launched in New Zealand today (November 9) by Chelsea Sugar.

LoGiCane was developed in Mossman, Queensland by Australian company Horizon Science, and funded by BioPacificVentures, Swiss-based Inventages LLC and grants from the Australian Federal and Queensland State Governments.

Dr Andrew Kelly, executive director of Auckland based BioPacificVentures says the trans-Tasman partnership of LoGiCane has been a positive addition to the firm’s investment portfolio.

“The product has been well received by the Australian public since its launch in March this year and we hope for similar results in New Zealand,” he said.

Recent figures show demand for sugar in NZ at approximately 55kg per person each year, compared with Australia’s per capita consumption of approximately 41kg per person. Since March 2009, over 800,000 LoGiCane units have been sold across Australia.

LoGiCane has been independently tested, and certified by the Glycemic Index Foundation as a low GI food, which are slower to digest providing a more gradual increase in blood glucose levels. LoGiCane is made from 100% sugar cane and retains more natural antioxidants and minerals. The product contains no chemical additives, artificial colours or preservatives.

Dr Alan Barclay of the Glycemic Index Foundation believes that replacing white refined sugar with a healthier low GI sugar alternative could have significant benefits for public health in NZ.

“Low GI foods including LoGiCane produce a less pronounced rise in blood glucose and insulin levels by virtue of their slower digestion and absorption rates. A low GI diet will reduce blood glucose levels in people with diabetes (type 1 and type 2) and also has benefits for weight management,” said Barclay.

Ashok Dhanrajgir, CEO Horizon Science says the introduction of LoGiCane has the potential to change food manufacturers’ approach to ingredients.

“The launch of LoGiCane heralds a significant evolution in sugar production. Interest from industry has been positive and food and beverage trials with a number of major global manufacturers are underway,” he said.

“With diabetes and obesity on the rise worldwide, being able to create a low GI version of one of the world’s most widely used food ingredients is a major breakthrough and we are currently exploring opportunities to collaborate internationally. As a breakthrough innovation, LoGiCane has the potential of transforming the entire sugar industry by providing tangible health benefits to improve the lifestyles of people around the world."

LoGicane will be available in all major supermarkets around NZ.

source: foodweek

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NZAID has rejected reports from Fiji that it's provided around $US1 million in assistance for the sugar industry there.

Fijilive has reported that the New Zealand Aid Agency is preparing a relief package to help the industry.

It quotes Sugar Cane Growers Council chief executive, Surendra Sharma, as saying he has written to the Australian and New Zealand Governments, and the European Union seeking assistance for an industry he describes as dying a slow death.

He says New Zealand responded favourably with a $US1 million facility.

But NZAID denies the reports.

An agency official says New Zealand has provided nearly $US2 million in flood relief for Fiji, but has made no commitment to support the sugar industry in Fiji or the Fiji Sugar Cane Growers Council as part of flood recovery work.
source:radionz

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The New Zealand government’s international aid and development agency, NZAID, is preparing a $2 million relief package to assist stakeholders of Fiji’s sugar industry salvage the ailing industry.

Sugar Cane Growers Council (SCGC) chief executive Surendra Sharma confirmed to Fijilive that NZAID was now putting together a package though negative indications were received from the Australian government.

Sharma had written to the Australian and New Zealand governments, and the European Union (EU) seeking assistance to salvage the industry, which has been described to be dying a slow death.

“The NZ government has responded favourably and a $2 million facility for rehabilitation is being put together by NZAID, which they will announce when they are ready with all features of the programme,” Sharma said.

“We have not had any response from the EU and the door is therefore not completely shut,” he said.

As for Australia’s negative stand, he said it made sense from Australia’s point of view as they were competing sugar producers “and in a broader context, every tonne less of production by one competitor translates into a potential benefit for other producers”.

Asked whether the SCGC had also written to the interim Government on the issue, Sharma responded: “This is indeed a tricky question and depends on what really is meant by government as I suspect that most of the issues confronting the cane farmers are dealt with at bureaucratic level”.

“It would help greatly if there was better scrutiny at the highest level in government where better and more effective decisions can be made for resource mobilisation for the farmers` plight,” he said.

However, he added that the SCGC would continue to try and persuade the interim Government to find resources possibly from other non-traditional sources.

“Sugar needs a lot of assistance and the sooner the key decision makers acknowledge this fact, the better,” Sharma said.

“Sugar will obviously not collapse overnight but if it is not assisted correctly, the individual decisions of cane farmers will slowly but certainly decide the fate of this industry,” he said.

In an earlier interview, Sharma warned aid donors to front up now with badly needed assistance or face the consequences of salvaging a potentially bankrupt industry.

He said aid donors should take heed as they would all be implicated if the industry failed. He had said the sugar industry needed $60 million

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