Abstract: A billet severing apparatus for sugar cane harvesters comprises a conveyor (1) to feed cane longitudinally into a three bladed cutter (5) having cutter blades (7) axially mounted on a hub rotatable about an axis (6) transverse to the direction of feed of the cane stalks. The cutter blades (7) coact with a rotary anvil (11) which counter-rotates relative to the cutter (5). In addition to severing the cane stalks into billets, the rotary anvil (11) serves as a conveyor by throwing the severed billets vertically into a discharge chute (27). The rotary anvil (11) is located in a housing (25) with a close fitting peripheral wall surface extending about part of the swept volume of the anvil whereby a region of reduced air pressure created by rotation of the anvil (11) causes separation and discharge of cane trash through a port (26) in the lower part of the housing (25).