FEDERAL and state pressure to bring Wilmar Sugar into line had been paying off before the passing of legislation that will force a solution to the ongoing sugar stalemate - perhaps.

Wilmar and Queensland Sugar Limited managed to to agree on certain terms relating to sugar on supply agreement before QSL accused Wilmar of abandoning a meeting scheduled for Monday afternoon, one day before a Private Members' Bill was voted on by the Queensland Parliament today.

However the Palaszczuk government believed the answer to the dispute could be found in mediation, not legislation.

Wilmar sent a statement to its growers on Monday informing them the two groups "finally have agreement in principle on pricing”.

But there was more they didn't agree upon.

"We have now been advised that QSL has declined our offer of a 10 year term with three years notice and proposes instead a 15 year term with five years notice,” the statement read.

According to Wilmar a $77 million indemnity for hedging losses in the event of mill failure was also knocked back by QSL.

QSL CEO Greg Beashel said in a statement on Monday afternoon QSL was "disappointed” Wilmar cancelled a meeting 45 minutes before its start time.

"Wilmar does not think this issue warrants priority on their calendar to progress in a meaningful way,” he said.

However Wilmar was also "disappointed” that the LNP had chosen to proceed with what it described as "unnecessary legislative amendments”.

Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls brought the bill to parliament yesterday in a bid to finally force an end to the deadlock through arbitration.

Member for Whitsunday Jason Costigan took the opportunity to sledge the Palaszczuk Labor government over what he called a "continued” backing of a foreign owned milling company over Queensland families.

"(They) need to build a bridge and get over their differences,” he said.

"Some of the egos here are bigger than the bulk sugar terminal.

"It's time they both pulled their heads in.”

Rather than making further amendments to the Sugar Act the Palaszczuk Government has asked a former Queensland Supreme Court judge to mediate in the dispute.

Agriculture Minister Bill Byrne said Richard Chesterman AO had agreed to mediate.

"It is political meddling that has caused the drawn-out and costly dispute in the first place,” he said.

Mr Nicholls was scathing in his analysis of QC facilitated mediation.

"Desperate to cover his total inaction on the issue, Bill Byrne suggested a trumped-up marriage counselling service for the warring parties that would cost taxpayers thousands of dollars in QC fees,” he said.

Wilmar had agreed in principle to take part in mediation and QSL is now on board with the idea.

Wilmar dubbed political intervention "unnecessary and unhelpful” and for the first time weighed in on the politics of the debate - the company wrote off the Members' Bill as "a political measure for political purposes”.