Sugar Production from Sugar Cane
Practical Action
White granular sugars
Free flowing white granular sugars are often referred to as plantation white. These sugars are
traditionally produced in large-scale VP factories. It is possible for the medium-scale sector to
develop small-scale or mini VP plants for the production of good quality white sugar.
Brown granular sugars
There are two categories of granular brown sugar: those produced directly from the cane juice at
the place of origin and those that are produced during the refining of raw sugar. The first type
includes demerara, muscovado and turbinado sugars. The second types are coated brown or
'soft' sugars and manufactured demerara.
Those produced directly from the cane juice at the place of origin can be made using medium-
scale open pan production methods. The refined brown sugars, however, tend to be produced in
modern large-scale VP sugar factories.
Demerara sugar
Named after the area in Guyana where it was first produced, demerara is a centrifuged sugar
prepared from the first crystallisation of cane syrup and has large yellow crystals and a slightly
sticky texture. Production of this sugar is suited to the medium-scale sector as the juice needs
to be carefully clarified to ensure purity and crystalliser are required to ensure uniform grain
size.
Muscovado
Also known as Barbados sugar, muscovado is the product of the third crystallisation. It is dark
brown in colour with small grains and sticky texture. A by-product of both the OPS and mini-VP
scale of production, muscovado tends to be produced as an alternative to white sugar if the
standard is not very high.
Technology
The technology used will depend on the type and amount of sugar being produced. Syrup and
lump sugars can be produced using relatively basic low-cost equipment consisting of a crusher
and a furnace with boiling pan. Granular sugar production also uses crushers and boiling
equipment but requires additional equipment such as a clarification plant, crystallisers, driers
and packaging equipment.
The crushing and boiling technology used by the OP factories in both the small and medium-
scale sector are similar. In most cases the technology used by the medium scale sector is a
development of that used by the small-scale sector or sometimes vice-versa.
Cane crushers
A wide range of crushers are suitable for use by the small to medium-scale sugar processors with
capacities ranging from 200kg to over 900kg of cane per hour. There are two basic types: the
roll mill, which is the most common, and the screw expeller.
It is important to remember that cane must be crushed within 24 hours of being cut. After this
time the sugar begins to 'invert' into different sugars that will not set solid.
Roll mills
Roll mills, of various types, are a proven
technology which are easy to use and maintain
and are extensively used in the large-scale sector
as well as in the small. Typically roll mills used
in the small-scale sector are either two or three-
roll configuration set vertically or horizontally.
The rolls, usually made from cast iron or steel,
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Figure 1: Animal powered crusher.
Photo: Neil Cooper/Practical Action.