THE weather is to blame for a delay to the start of the sugar cane crush at Wilmar's Proserpine mill.

The crush was due to begin on Tuesday but 6.2mm of rain on Monday and 5.2mm yesterday recorded at Proserpine Airport meant no cane can be harvested.

Wilmar's cane supply and grower relations general manager Paul Giordani said the new date for the beginning of the crush would be next Monday.

"We will continue to review the situation, in consultation with growers and harvesting contractors," Mr Giordani said.

Canegrowers Proserpine manager Mike Porter, said the one-week delay to the crush would not have a huge impact on the region's growers.

But if higher-than- average rainfall continued through the crushing season as predicted by Wilmar, it could cause problems for the growers and miller.

"You don't want to be putting cane harvesters in the paddocks when they are not properly dried down," Mr Porter said.

"The other issue is that whilst the crop receives water the roots are going to want to take it up ... what that impacts on is CCS or sugar content," he said.

Growers are paid on tonnage and sugar content of the cane.

Mr Porter said a a wet crush was not the best outcome for the grower.

However, he said the delay would increase the crop's weight.

"(The rain) will kick the crop on and a crop that hasn't flowered is probably more likely to put a bit more growth on and put a bit more tonne on it but it's not going to make any more sugar."

CRUSH DELAY

The 2016 crush was due to begin on Tuesday

A late crush will now begin next Monday