Australia's largest sugar maker shuts mills as workers strike
Australia's Wilmar Sugar and Renewables is closing its eight sugar mills for up to 16 hours due to a strike on Thursday by unionised workers asking for a better pay deal, the company said.
It is reported by Reuters.
Wilmar, owned by Singapore's Wilmar International, opens new tab, said the shutdowns would cost sugar cane growers revenue of around $2.3 million. Another strike was planned for July 24, it added.
Wilmar is Australia's largest sugar producer and makes more than 2 million metric tons of sugar worth around $1 billion a year, most of which is exported.
Industrial action beginning in May disrupted the start Wilmar's June-to-November cane crushing season, threatening sugar production, but strikes became less frequent from June.