What burdekin productivity services does

Burdekin Productivity Services (BPS) is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee that delivers agronomic and biosecurity services to sugar cane growers in the Burdekin region of Queensland, Australia. It is jointly funded by voluntary grower contributions on a cents-per-tonne-harvested basis, matched by Wilmar Sugar, with governance split evenly between three grower-elected and three miller-appointed directors. BPS operates from a single headquarters at 210 Old Clare Road, Ayr, and field services are delivered through four field officers (one per local mill area: Invicta, Inkerman, Pioneer, Kalamia) and five agronomists.

The product portfolio centers on six integrated service lines: pest and disease management (plant source inspection, RSD sampling, hot water treatment and cold soak facilities, aerial cane grub surveys, feral pig and rat management, and machinery sterilization); agronomic extension (crop nutrition, irrigation management, farming systems advice, variety trials); approved seed cane distribution through the largest such plot network in Australia (5 distribution plots plus 2 isolation and 3 mother plots); NAA-accredited soil analysis and nutrient recommendations; irrigation scheduling and efficiency services (IrrigWeb, SISCO, G-dot, water/EC testing, pump assessments); and biosecurity compliance inspections. Supporting capabilities include weed management with spray rig calibration and a dual herbicide sprayer, a Smartcane BMP accreditation program facilitated by two dedicated staff, a regional weather station network, and a BPS Study Bursary for agronomy students.

Commercial mechanics are subscription-recurring in nature but executed as cents-per-tonne grower contributions rather than tiered SaaS pricing, with Wilmar Sugar matching each grower contribution; seed cane plot price lists are published per season. Distribution is entirely domestic, executed through direct field-officer and agronomist contact, supplemented by newsletters, shed meetings, grower information meetings, and industry tours. Customer concentration is structurally high given the single vertical (sugar cane), single region (Burdekin), and matched funding reliance on Wilmar Sugar.

Name

burdekin productivity services

Legal name

Burdekin Productivity Services Ltd

Website

https://bps.net.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Burdekin Productivity Services is a not-for-profit agronomic extension organization that delivers pest and disease management, approved seed cane distribution, irrigation, and soil analysis services to sugar cane growers in the Burdekin region of Queensland, jointly funded by growers and Wilmar Sugar.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Agricultural Extension Services

NAICS

Sugarcane Farming (111930), Farm Management Services (115116), Support Activities for Agriculture and Forestry (115), Nursery and Tree Production (111421)

SIC

Agricultural Production-Crops (100)

akta.pro primary industry

Sugar & Starch Crop Seed Cane/Seed Stock Production (AFAGAEAK)

akta.pro secondary industries

Seedling & Sapling Production (Bare-Root) (AFAMADAC), Sugar & Starch Crop Contract Growing & Plantation Operations (AFAGAEAL)

Keywords

• Agricultural extension services
• Sugar cane agronomy
• Pest and disease management
• Seed cane distribution
• Irrigation scheduling services

Headquarters

HQ city

Ayr

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Grower Contributions: Burdekin Productivity Services is a not-for-profit company limited by guarantee. Growers can join through voluntary membership on a cents per tonne harvested basis. Wilmar Sugar matches the grower contribution.
2. Mill Partnership Funding: Wilmar Sugar provides matching funds equivalent to grower contributions, forming the joint funding model alongside Burdekin Cane Growers.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Burdekin Productivity Services (BPS) is a not-for-profit organization that supports sugar cane growers in the Burdekin region of Queensland through an integrated portfolio of agronomic services. Its offerings include pest and disease management (plant inspections, RSD sampling, hot water treatment/cold soak, aerial surveys, and biosecurity machinery sterilization), agronomic extension (crop nutrition, variety selection, irrigation management, and farming systems advice), distribution of approved seed cane through Australia's largest network of distribution plots, NAA-accredited soil analysis and nutrient recommendations, and biosecurity compliance inspections. BPS is jointly funded by sugar cane growers (voluntary cents-per-tonne membership) and Wilmar Sugar.

Product overview

Burdekin Productivity Services (BPS) is a not-for-profit organization that supports sugar cane growers in the Burdekin region of Queensland through a portfolio of integrated agronomic services. The core offering consists of pest and disease management services (including plant inspections, RSD sampling, hot water treatment, and machinery sterilization), agronomic extension services, approved seed cane distribution through a network of 10 distribution plots (2 isolation plots, 3 mother plots, and 5 approved seed plots), and irrigation management with access to IrrigWeb. Supporting services include soil analysis and nutrient recommendations (NAA accredited), weed management with spray rig calibration and rogueing labor, Smartcane BMP accreditation facilitation across three modules (soil health/nutrients, irrigation/drainage, weeds/pests/diseases), weather station network access, and biosecurity compliance inspections. BPS also conducts variety trials and provides a study bursary program. The organization is funded jointly by sugar cane growers and Wilmar Sugar.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Pest and Disease Management Services Provides plant source inspection, RSD sampling, hot water treatment (HWT) and cold soak facilities, annual aerial surveys for cane grub damage, feral pig management, wallaby fencing subsidies, rat damage monitoring, and machinery inspections with sterilization for sugar cane growers.
• Agronomic Extension Services Offers general agronomic support, crop nutrition advice, irrigation management, farming systems management, grower information meetings, on-ground advice, liaison with research organisations, and tours to view new varieties and innovations.
• Approved Seed Cane Distribution Maintains 2 isolation plots for new varieties, 3 mother plots, and 5 approved seed plots for propagating and distributing advanced sugarcane varieties to growers when released across the Burdekin region.
• Biosecurity Services Provides machinery inspections and sterilization certificates for plant and machinery movement between biosecurity zones; trained BPS inspectors are authorized to issue movement certificates.
• Soil Analysis and Nutrient Recommendations Collects and submits soils for analysis, interprets results, prepares and delivers nutrient recommendations, maintains a soil analysis database, and provides NAA-accredited analysis for sugar cane growers.
• Irrigation Advice Services Provides irrigation scheduling, water and EC testing, pump efficiency assessments, SISCO furrow irrigation efficiency assessments, G-dot installation, and member access to the IrrigWeb platform for sugarcane irrigation scheduling and record keeping.
• Weed Management Services Provides spray rig calibration, chemical recommendations, weed identification and management options, organizes labour for sorghum and itch grass rogueing, and offers a dual herbicide sprayer for borrowing.
• Variety Trial Program BPS trials new and emerging sugarcane varieties in commercial sized strip trials, sharing data with Sugar Research Australia and growers through shed meetings and newsletters.
• Weather Station Network Provides weather station data across the Burdekin region with login access for BPS growers to view weather observations and imagery.
• Smartcane BMP Accreditation Facilitation BPS facilitation service for the industry-led Smartcane BMP best-practice accreditation program covering soil health and nutrients, irrigation and drainage, and weeds, pests and diseases modules, delivered to Burdekin growers by BPS facilitators Jasmine Girgenti and Kristine Patti.
• BPS Study Bursary Financial support in the form of an annual study bursary offered to one suitable candidate to study for an agronomy-related Bachelor's degree at an Australian university.

Quantifiable outcome

• Physically visits each grower once per year to collect crop data information to improve profitability, productivity and sustainability
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers1 record

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles1 record

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature4 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Sugar Research Australia (SRA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSRA is a key research partner for BPS. BPS conducts SRA-funded projects including the Soil Health Project and trials new varieties in commercial sized strip trials. Data from trials is shared with SRA and growers.
• Wilmar SugarcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerWilmar Sugar is the miller partner that matches grower contributions on a cents per tonne basis. Three miller-appointed directors sit on the BPS board. Wilmar provides senior agronomist support (Duncan Butler joined as Senior Agronomist in January 2025).
• NQ Dry TropicsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBPS partners with NQ Dry Tropics to conduct projects aligned with the strategic plan, including environmental and agricultural sustainability initiatives.
• Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBPS collaborates with DAF on project work and maintains connections through industry meetings and extension activities.
• UniversitiesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBPS partners with universities to conduct research projects aligned with their strategic plan.
• Burdekin Shire CouncilminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerListed as a partner on the BPS website, indicating collaboration on regional development and agricultural initiatives.
• Soil CRCminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerA $60 million project that seeks to improve soils Australia wide by linking researchers with farming groups. BPS participates in this soil health initiative.
• Smartcane BMPminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry-led best practice farming system implementation program. BPS has two facilitators (Jasmine Girgenti and Kristine Patti) who service Burdekin growers for BMP accreditation.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Broad incumbents

• Sugar Research Australia (SRA): Industry-owned research and development corporation for the Australian sugar industry. BPS is a core delivery partner for SRA-funded projects, with shared variety trial data and agronomic research; SRA's broader R&D mandate complements BPS's regional delivery focus.
• Wilmar Sugar Australia: Largest sugarcane miller in Australia and BPS's joint funding partner, with three miller-appointed directors on the BPS board. Operates Pioneer, Kalamia, Inkerman, and Invicta mills in the Burdekin. Provides senior agronomist support and financially matches grower contributions to BPS.
• CANEGROWERS Queensland: State-level industry body representing Queensland sugarcane growers with policy, advocacy, and some extension services. Larger and broader in mandate than BPS, but overlaps on grower representation and dissemination of best practice.
• Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF): State government agriculture department that funds research, biosecurity policy, and broader extension programs. BPS Director of Extension previously worked at DPI/DAFF, and BPS collaborates with DAF on project work; DAF represents a parallel public extension pathway.

Emerging players

• AgriWebb: Australian livestock and crop farm management software platform that competes in the digital farm management and records space. Relevant adjacency as BPS continues to invest in digital irrigation scheduling and weather tools for growers.

Direct peers

• Plane Creek Productivity Services: Productivity services body serving Plane Creek sugar cane growers in Queensland, providing parallel agronomic extension, variety management, and on-ground support funded through similar grower/mill arrangements. Directly comparable in scope and regional sugar industry context.
• Herbert River Productivity Services: Regional sugar cane productivity services organization in the Herbert River district of Queensland, operating under the same grower-and-miller funded model and delivering agronomic extension, pest/disease management, and seed cane services to sugarcane growers. Most direct peer in structure, funding model, and service offering.
• Tully Sugar Services / Tully Cane Productivity Services: Regional sugarcane productivity support organization serving the Tully mill area in far north Queensland with comparable agronomic services, seed cane activities, and biosecurity support funded by growers and the local miller.

Others

• Smartcane BMP: Industry-led best management practice accreditation program for Queensland cane growers. BPS's two Smartcane BMP facilitators deliver accreditation services across soil health, irrigation, and pest modules, making Smartcane a closely-aligned program partner rather than a competitor.

Regional players

• NQ Dry Tropics: Natural resource management body for the dry tropics region of North Queensland covering the Burdekin catchment. Partners with BPS on strategic projects aligned with environmental and agricultural sustainability initiatives, including Reef-related work.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/burdekinproductivityservices
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/burdekin-productivity-services

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles17 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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