Sugar Cane
Sugar cane is the plant from which most of the world’s sugar is made. A tall willowy grass which can grow 
between two and six meters in height, sugar cane contains a juice which is high in sucrose, and which can easily be extracted by shredding and crushing harvested sugar cane.
Sugar cane has been a source of sugar for humanity dating back to to 10,000 BC, according to some historians who claim that it was cultivated in India at this time. The exact origins of sugar cane as a cultivated crop are somewhat murky, with some experts claiming that it was first cultivated in India, and others claiming that the Polynesian peoples were the first to harness the sweetness of the sugar cane. What is known is that sugar cane and sugar, were completely unknown to Europe until the time of the Crusades, when it was discovered in the Middle East by invading European forces. Since that time, the popularity of sugar cane as a source of sugar, of alcohol, and more recently, of alternative fuel has grown on a global scale
Brazil is the undisputed world sugar cane capital, not only growing millions of tons of sugar cane every year, but also possessing an intimate understanding of sugar cane on a genetic level which makes it the envy of other less developed sugar cane cultivating nations. There are hundreds of different strains of sugar cane in Brazil, developed in order to satisfy various needs. Some are very high sucrose strains, others can grow in poor conditions, some are designed for sugar ethanol production, and others are specialized for sugar production. Brazil’s sugar scientists are some of the most knowledgeable in the world, and no expense is usually spared when it comes to optimizing the performance of Brazil’s sugar cane crops.
Sugar Cane Cultivation
Sugar cane is not planted as a seed, but is usually sown in short lengths of mature cane known as ’setts’. When planted horizontally into soft, fertile soil, and provided with ample water and fertilizer, the sugar cane soon sprouts new shoots. The setts can continue to produce new shoots for several harvests, until an inevitable decline in sucrose levels of the cane results, or they become damaged from harvesting. When either of these conditions occur the field is usually ploughed and replanted for the next season.
Harvesting can be done by hand or machine. In flat areas, machinery is sometimes preferred because of its relative running economy, but there is a trade off in that the heavy treads of the machinery can sometimes damage the setts, requiring the whole field to be replanted after the harvest. Manual harvesters (human labor) have been used for centuries, and there are still many thousands of people employed in this fashion to this very day. In countries such as Brazil, the sugar cane harvesting season provides many families with a much needed income. Mills quite often provide accommodation and meals for the workers, who work at prodigious rates, clearing vast swathes of sugar cane daily during the peak of the harvest.
Sugar Cane Products
Sugar
Of course, sugar is a predominant product of sugar cane. From the raw brown cane juice, all types of sugar can be produced from sugar cane, from the native Jaggery of India, to the sparkling while ICUMSA 45 which is popular in homes around the world.
Bagasse
Bagasse is the dry fibrous part of the sugar cane. At one time it was discarded and burned in the fields, but in recent decades the usefulness of this supposed ‘waste’ product has been discovered.
Bagasse is now very often burned to power sugar mills and refineries, providing so much energy that surpluses are quite often sold onto the national grid. Bagasse is also being used as a replacement for Styrofoam and disposable plastic products, as it is quite heat resistant, and also biodegrades within just a few months, making it ideal for disposable tableware.
In some parts of the world, bagasse is also charcoaled and used as a clean burning fuel source instead of the traditional charcoal briquettes which pollute the atmosphere.
Sugar Ethanol
Sugar ethanol is a huge industry which has grown up as a response to the global need for alternative fuel sources. Brazil has been a front runner in using sugar ethanol as an alternative fuel source, and it is currently the second greatest fuel source in the country. Much of Brazil’s sugar cane crop has now been turned over to sugar ethanol production rather than sugar production, as sugar ethanol is a lucrative product in very high demand. This is a development that has been echoed in other parts of the world, and which could potentially impact the sugar market if demand for sugar ethanol continues to soar above production levels.
Alcohol
As with all sugar based liquids, sugar cane juice can be fermented to make an alcoholic beverage. There are many traditional sugar cane based alcohols, the most famous of which is undoubtedly Rum, which is distilled from sugar cane juice and molasses.
Molasses
Molasses is a thick, heavy liquid which is a by product of sugar refining. There are several grades of molasses produced during the sugar refining process, and depending on the grade, the product can be good as animal feed, or even a health supplement for humans. Molasses is quite high in natural minerals such as potassium, iron, calcium, and magnesium, which makes it an idea foodstuff for both animals and humans. In most raw sugars the molasses is not removed as it is in refined sugar, so they retain their nutritional advantages. In some parts of India, raw sugars such as Jaggery and Gur are not viewed as sweeteners, but as foodstuffs, due in large part to the nutritional benefits which are gained by consuming the molasses along with sucrose.