Sugar Cane

In our yard we also have sugar cane (Saccharum officinarium) from the family sweet grasses (Poaceae). In the appearance it looks similar like corn or bamboo, the stalks grow to 13 feet (4 meters) tall and to 2 inches (5 cm) thick.

Since approx. 2,500 years the sugar cane is cultivated, at first in the eastern Asiatic area wherefrom the plant might be originated. Gradually, this plant was introducted around of the 1st Century to the Middle East. It was discovered that the crystallized sugar juice was much longer durable and easily transportable. At this time sugar was very scarce and very expensive. Only much later, the then known sugar delivering plant was introducted to Brazil and into the colonies of the Europeans around of 1500 and took there foot.

Up to the breeding of sugar beets from the beet, the sugar cane is the only delivery plant. As an initial area of origin are India, New Guinea and China indicated, the exact genetic origin is unclear. In the Mediterranean area was the sugar cane during the Roman period known. It was founded by the Moors and Arabs, and was more common with the emerging plantation economy of the Spaniards in South America. The Portuguese brought it to the Bay of Benin, to the Canary Islands into the Caribbean and Central America. Sugar cane cultivation in South America has contributed to the spread of black Africans into slavery (10 to 15 million people) and led eradication of entire ethnic groups in Central and South America.

Today, sugar cane is grown worldwide in tropical countries and gives about 55 percent of sugar production. Main growing countries are India, Australia, Thailand, South Africa, Cuba, Jamaica, the Philippines, the Dominican Republic and Brazil. The working conditions in the cane fields are sometimes disastrous and slavery. Children are often used as labor, starvation wages paid in the regions of the sugar cane cultivation on the agenda. Brazilian plantation workers get about 1.4 Reais (about 60 euro cents - as of June 2007) per ton of chopped sugar cane. The daily capacity is good for workers, about 15 to 20 tons. Accordingly, the cheap sugar cane will be offered. However in the EU it still can not compete against subsidized beet sugar due to very high tariffs.

The propagation of the sugar cane from cuttings is possible, from parts of the bottom of the cane stalks, which do have two to four nodes. After a short time (1 to 2 weeks) the cuttings will begin to grow and root.

The first harvest, the cutting of the stalks, can be done 9 to 24 months after the planting. The harvest time depends on sugar content and ripeness. The stalks are cutten directly above the ground and at a level below the sugar-free leaf apparatus. This is often done even by hand or with cane harvesting machines. The stalk stumps regrow again and after further 12 months the next crop can be cutten. Up to 8 crops can grow on one sugar cane field. In India, the useful life for example, 2 slices, in our country Brazil on the other hand, 5 cuts. A sugar cane crop can take up to 20 years old.

Ingredients of sugar cane are sugar (mostly sucrose) with a share of up to 18 percent and a wax, which sometimes is used industrially.

Sugar cane is the main raw material in addition to sugar beet for the manufacture of industrial sugar. Besides its use as a staple food it is also for the production of spirits. In Paraguay from the fermented sugar cane sap one liquor is burned, after the addition of caramel it’s called "caña". In Colombia, from sugar cane and anise Aguardiente is burned. In Brazil, the cocktail Caipirinha is based on the sugar-cane liquor cachaça. From the sugar cane molasses, which is still remaining sugary syrup that is left of sugar production, rum is manufactured.

The fresh-squeezed sugar cane, usually chilled juice is a widespread and popular drink that we are also winning from our sugar cane in the garden. In Cuba or Spain sugar cane juice is called guarapo, in Brazil it’s called caldo de cana.

From sugar cane (or molasses) fermented, refined alcohol is used in Brazil as a fuel for cars and is either solely with ethanol fueled vehicles or in the Flexible Fuel Vehicle used. In Brazil, every year are producted approximately 16 billion liters of ethanol and in large part as a car fuel, but also for aircraft like the Embraer EMB 202A used.