Sugar cane is a crop that produces most
of the sugar in the world. It grows in
all the sub-tropic and tropic regions
of the world.
sugarcane cultivars
There are very many sugarcane cultivars,
mostly are are mix from the many sugarcane
species. All these interbreed, and the
commercial cultivars are complex hybridss.
New are sugarcane cultivars that have the
ability to fix nitrogen from the air into
nitrogen molecules, the most important
fertiliser. By the use of these cultivars
crop yield can increase three times on
poor grounds.
sugar cane harvesting
The whole growing cyclus takes about half a year.
Sugar cane is harvested in the dry seison.
Sugar cane is collected and bought to
the factory by truck or train.
sugar cane in the backyard
On a small scale sugarcane grows in the backyard
of poor people, providing syrup for there own
use. Sugarcane is also shielding for heavy wind.
The roots of sugarcane.
sugarcane roots
Sugar cane is chopped down but without damaging
the roots, as sugar canw will regrow from
these roots.
Secondairy roots starts growing within
one day after cutting and replanting.
sugar cane extraction
In the factory the cane is chrushed by a
serie of large roller mills. The juice that
is pooring out contains a lot of dirt.
cleaning the juice
The juice is cleaned by adding chalck,
filtration. The now clar fluid will become
more thicker by the use of evaporation.
The syrup can be boiled and will cristalize
into sugar. The cristals are dried and
have a light brown color.
sugar cane fibres or bagasse
The cane fibre or bagasse are used tp heat
the boilers used for evaporation. It can
also be used to produce both electricity
and steam. The steam is used in the
evaporation process.
The ash is used as fertilizer.
demerara or cassonade
This is sugar made by direct extraction and
crystallisation of sugar cane juice.
The color is lightbrown or yellow due to
the little amount of malasse that it contains.
The history of sugarcane
The story of sugarcane starts on New Guinea, long
before the birth of Jezus. It was transported by
boat tot India, about 400 b.C., From there it was
transported by the Arabs to the Roman Empire and
to Egypt and by the 10th century every village
in Mesopotamia that did grow sugarcane.
In the 15the century sugarcane was transported
by Spain and Portugal to the Americas.
Portugal produced white gold in there "boiling houses".
Sugarcane has been a major source of war between Spain,
Great Britain and other slavery trading
countries during the Middle Ages. that
only stopped with the discovery of beetsugar.
The future of sugarcane
Sugarcane will play a large role in the production
of green energy, not only as the source of gasohol,
but the burning of bagasse produce electricity as well.
It is now possible to make flour and plastics from bagasse.
Production of sugarcanejuice or "Oosacha Ras" or "Roh"
in the streets of Jaipur, India.
The leaves of sugarcane are removed, the cane is pressed
in the machine. The leftover or bagasse is a cattlefood.
"Oosacha Ras" or "Roh" is served with lemon or ginger.
In India, sugar is sold in two ways: yellow:
Jaggery or 'Gur', dried sugar cane juice,
and the white cristalized sugar.
Jaggery or Gur
Jaggery is the dried unrefined unfiltered juice
of sugar cane.
It is consumed in Asia, India, Africa, Latin America,
and the Caribbean. It contains 50% sugar, 20% invert
sugars , the rest consist of molasse, fibers and water.
Ethanol fuel world production 2010.
gasohol or E10
Gasohol or E10 is a mix from ethanol and
gasoline. The ethanol is derived from the
sacharose, produced by sugarcane. This is
done on a large scale in Brazil. E10 can be
used in cars without the need for any
modification on the engine or fuel system.
E10 is used in many parts of the world:
like the USA, Brasil, Thailand and Sweden.
Sugarcane world production.
Brazil is the world's largest sugar exporter
and lowest-cost sugar producer. Most sugarcane
harvesting takes place in São Paulo State.
