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The future of the sugar industry in the Ord Valley is hanging by a thread.
Korean-owned CJ Ord Sugar, owner of the sugar mill, is considering pulling up stumps and moving its operation to Indonesia.
This would involve moving the whole mill overseas and would leave the Ord with no mill.
It would also leave farmers severely out of pocket with millions of dollars of cane already planted for this year's crushing season.
Not only will they lose the revenue from the cane, but they will be out of pocket even more millions of dollars to harvest the cane and dump it as it cannot just be ploughed back into the ground.
In terms of employment, it would mean the loss of about 80 jobs, including operators at the mill, transport and associated activities.
Last week cane growers were in frantic negotiations with CJ Ord representatives.
At the end of these CJ's Mr Lee and local manager Eric Jung flew out of Kununurra.
They refused to answer questions at Kununurra airport, other than to say: "Ask the growers" and "no comment".
Although Mr Jung told the Kimberley Echo Mr Lee was going back to Korea and he was going 'somewhere', it is believed the pair were on their way to Indonesia to see whether it was feasible to relocate the mill there alongside CJ's existing plant, which produces MSG.
The mill's co-generation of power makes it an attractive option for Indonesia, where power supply can be intermittent.
Recent increases in metal prices have pushed up the costs of building a new mill, again making it attractive to utilise an existing mill.
Cane farmers have got together to make an offer for the mill.
CJ Ord has continually put off signing contracts for this year's harvest, causing consternation amongst farmers.
The company's own staff members have also been critical, as they have been promised continuing employment - a promise that the company looks like having no intention of keeping.
CJ Ord management is expected to make a decision within a week.
Meanwhile, two more potential buyers toured the mill on Monday.
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