There are several types of raw sugar currently available on the market.. By far the most common of these, a raw sugar traded globally in large quantities (over twenty million tons every year) is VHP raw sugar. VHP raw sugar is a Brazilian invention that revolutionized the global sugar trade in the early 90’s by allowing sugar producers to sell very high sucrose raw sugar product to refineries instead of the traditional raw sugars which needed a great deal of processing to create ICUMSA 45 sugar.

In addition to VHP raw sugar it is still possible to purchase traditional raw sugar, which has undergone very little processing, is a deep brown color with a very sticky texture, and is much lower quality than VHP raw sugar. This type of sugar is not suitable for human consumption as it often contains a great deal of contaminants and bacteria.

Consumable raw sugars are a family of raw sugars which have undergone some processing and purification to make them suitable for human consumption. Because they are not refined, they still contain many of the vitamins and nutrients which are present in raw sugar, but without the health risks.

Then there are the traditional forms of raw sugar which undergo rough processing to make products which are normally consumed in poorer regions of the world. This type of sugar is occasionally stocked at specialty stores, but as it is usually produced by villagers locally and need not conform to health standards or protocols it is to be consumed at the buyers risk.

Producing Raw Sugar

Raw sugar is obtained from processing sugar cane or sugar beet. The methods for extracting sucrose from each of these sources are quite different. In the case of sugar cane, the cane is harvested, washed, and then crushed to extract a natural juice which is very high in sucrose. Sugar beet, on the other hand, is sliced very thinly and then put into a hot water diffuser. In the hot water diffuser, water at very high temperatures is circulated around the slices of sugar beet, dissolving the sucrose in the beet into the water.

In both methods the raw juice is generally contaminated with organic and non organic contaminants, which need to be removed in order for the sugar to be refined. In the case of raw sugar however, this juice may simply be boiled until the liquid evaporates to a point where sugar crystals begin to form, and the crystals may dried off and sold without any further treatment. This type of raw sugar is not suitable for human consumption and may easily reach ICUMA levels of 3000 or more.

VHP Raw Sugar

VHP Raw sugar undergoes significantly more processing than standard raw sugar in order to concentrate the sucrose content of the sugar and remove a large portion of contaminants. The production of VHP raw sugar involves boiling the raw juice, allowing the crystals to form, and then sending the juice and crystals into a centrifugal chamber which spins at high speed, driving off the liquid molasses, and leaving the sugar crystals behind.

The liquid molasses driven off in the first stage of processing is then usually reboiled as it still contains a great deal of sucrose. The reboiled liquid is left to cool, sucrose crystals form once more, and the mix is once more sent into the centrifugal chamber. The process is then repeated one final time. The liquid molasses drawn off in the last centrifugal process is known as ‘Blackstrap Molasses’ and is sold in health food stores and other such outlets as a health supplement because it contains large amounts of iron, magnesium, and potassium.

Consumable Raw Sugar

Consumable raw sugars are sold direct to consumers in developed nations, and are sugars which have not been refined, but which have generally been purified in some fashion to remove bacteria and contaminants. Examples of consumable raw sugars include Demerera sugar, Turbinado sugar, and Muscovado raw sugar. These sugars generally retain a molasses flavor because unlike refined sugar, the molasses are not as rigorously driven off the sugar crystals, and in many cases, are not removed at all. This means that consumable raw sugars contain similar vitamins and minerals as Blackstrap molasses. However this does not necessarily mean that consumable raw sugars are ‘healthy’ per se, as they still contain a great deal of so called ‘empty calories’.

Hailing from Barbados, Muscovado sugar is made by baking cane juice, and then purifying it with coconut milk. As a result, Muscovado sugar is dark brown in color, with a crumbly texture and a high moisture content. Muscovado sugar is quite commonly used in baking because it not only sweetens the baked goods, but also adds extra moisture to the baking process.

Demerara sugar comes from Guyana, and is a large crystal golden sugar often used in coffee and tea because of its sweet distinctive molasses flavor. Demerara sugar is produced directly from freshly crushed sugar cane juice and contains all the goodness and taste of the molasses it is made with.

Traditional Raw Sugars

Traditional raw sugars include sugar products such as Jaggery. Known in India as ‘Gur’, Jaggery is made by pressing boiled cane juice into cones. In India it is regarded as being a foodstuff, not merely a sweetener, and it is quite often consumed in order to alleviate health complaints such as coughs and colds, lung disease, and constipation. Jaggery can sometimes be found in specialty stores, though it is difficult to obtain a consistent product. Some jaggery might be hard, whilst other jaggery could be quite soft. Variances in color are quite common too. This is because jaggery is produced on a small scale in a cottage industry context and there are no real set guidelines for its production.

Purchasing Raw Sugar

Most buyers looking to purchase raw sugar will be in the market for VHP raw sugar as it is a more economical option than traditional raw sugar, which will require the buyer to purchase much more product in order to extract the same amount of sucrose as a smaller amount of VHP raw sugar, and the refining process will have to be much more intense than that used with VHP raw sugar.

Brazil is currently the largest exporter of VHP raw sugar, exporting the bulk of the twenty million tons mentioned at the beginning of this article. If you are interested in purchasing raw sugar, or have questions regarding raw sugar, please fill out this contact form below, and I will get back to you with options and price quotation.

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Brazilian sugar is the most plentiful sugar in the world, due to the fact that Brazil is the largest producer of sugar in the world. Every year Brazil produces up to thirty million tons of sugar, much of which is sold offshore. The majority of Brazilian sugar is VHP raw sugar, which is almost always produced for export and subsequent refining in other countries. A smaller amount of ICUMSA 45 sugar is also produced both for local consumption and international export. Brazilian sugar exports make up 40% of total global sugar exports, which explains how Brazilian sugar comes to be found in baked goods, drinks, and other foodstuffs the world over.

Producing Brazilian Sugar

Brazilian sugar is grown largely in the Sao Paulo region of Brazil. Due to increased demand for sugar cane ethanol, sugar cane related production has grown so rapidly in this region that the Brazilian authorities have been forced to suspend the issuing of new licenses for sugar mills pending investigation into the environmental impact of such large scale sugar cane growing and processing.

Interestingly, the traditional region for sugar production is not in the highly fertile Sao Paulo area, but in the north east of the country, in the Pernambuco and Algolas regions. The first sugar plantations and mills were founded in these states by the Dutch, who used slave labor to plant, harvest, mill and process sugar cane into sugar. Today there are still numerous sugar plantations and mills in this region in spite of the fact that it is considerably less fertile than the Sao Paulo region, not to mention harder to harvest due to hilly terrain.

All sugar produced in Brazil is produced from sugar cane, of which there are many varieties. Brazilian sugar mills have invested great amounts of time and money into developing new strains of sugar cane which contain greater amounts of sucrose, are hardier than previous strains, and which can produce high sucrose crops for several generations before a field must be replanted.

Brazilian sugar mills are renowned for their efficiency, and in general, Brazilian sugar mills place great emphasis on not wasting any resources associated with the sugar milling process.

This attention to sustainability can be seen in every aspect of the sugar production process. For example, in order to extract the sucrose rich raw juice which is processed and refined into various types of sugar, sugar cane must first be harvested and brought to the mill, where it is washed thoroughly and then chopped and shredded before being crushed. The water used to wash the cane is then returned to ponds where it is used to water the sugar cane plantations.

Crushing the cane releases the natural juices in the cane which make up a brown liquid, filled with sucrose, but also with water, dirt, bacteria, and other contaminants that must be removed during processing. The remnants of the sugar cane, the hard fibrous material which is left over is then often collected and burned to power the sugar mill (some mills are powered entirely from the energy obtained from burning bagasse), or sometimes recycled into Styrofoam replacements, and paper.

Brazilian VHP Sugar

As has been mentioned, the majority of sugar produced in Brazil is VHP sugar. VHP sugar is produced by boiling sugar cane juice, growing sucrose crystals in it, and then extracting the sucrose crystals by means of centrifugal processes.

VHP sugar was invented by Brazilian sugar refineries in 1993, and it quickly revolutionized the international sugar trade. Where refineries at one time had to purchase raw sugar which had ICUMSA ratings as high as 4000, they could now obtain a raw product of much higher purity. Very high pol sugar is raw unrefined sugar with a sucrose content of more than 99.4%. Because VHP sugar contains so much sucrose, it is very nearly pure when it is shipped, meaning that much less effort is needed to refine it into ICUMSA 45 sugar which is commonly consumed in the developed world.

Purchasing Brazilian Sugar

Though Brazilian sugar is plentiful on the world market, the majority of Brazilian sugar is sold ahead of time on futures markets. This means that new buyers will inevitably have trouble securing large shipments of ICUMSA 150, ICUMSA 45, or VHP raw Brazilian sugar. Most sugar deals come in the form of multi shipment arrangements, where the seller undertakes to send monthly shipments to the buyer until the full amount of the contract is fulfilled. Buyers should beware of multi million ton shipment offers, as these are very rarely real, and much time and money can be lost pursuing these fantasy offers.

Brazilian sugar is typically sold CIF (Cost, Insurance, and Freight), meaning that the purchase price includes the cost of the sugar, insurance on the sugar, and the cost of the freight. It is the seller’s responsibility to organize insurance and freight on the shipment, and it is generally accepted that the sugar is the seller’s liability until it clears the rail of the ship at the destination port.

At present time there is an excess of sugar available on the global market. India has increased its sugar production to nearly match Brazil’s, and this means that supply exceeds demand by a significant amount. This is therefore an excellent time to secure long term deals at fixed prices whilst the global sugar market is relatively low.

Brazilian Sugar Export

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When I was new to sugar trading, I had an unpleasant experience that I will share with you all now in order to perhaps help you in your own sugar buying endeavors. It involves being caught out in an attempted sugar scam involving large amounts of Brazilian ICUMSA 45 sugar.

In my initial forays into buying sugar I had started off small, being cautious, trying to learn about the industry as I went, and in doing so I found a Brazilian sugar mill which fulfilled several small sugar orders for me. Buoyed with the success of receiving several orders at a nearby national port, and needing to expand my operations, I leapt at the opportunity when the mill offered me a very cheap deal on a multi million ton shipment of sugar. I had heard that these types of shipments were rare, or didn’t exist, but because I had had good experiences with my supplier up to that point, I figured I was getting a special deal.

That special deal turned out to be bad news. The proof of product sent to me was a fake. There was no warehouse holding several million tons of ICUMSA 45 sugar especially for me. The sugar mill then tried to sell me smaller amounts of sugar at a higher price. Needless to say, I was not impressed, and cut ties with that mill immediately. I was lucky in some ways, I hadn’t lost money on the deal, but I had lost precious time, and I encountered supply problems due to having relied upon this deal.

You read about scams and dishonest dealers and brokers, but I didn’t realize that the mill themselves could sometimes be unscrupulous. This was a very hard and somewhat costly lesson to learn. Being an analytical sort of fellow, I went through and analyzed exactly where I had gone wrong.

The first mistake I had made was not being fully aware of how the Brazilian sugar industry works. I had assumed that because Brazil is the world’s largest producer and exporter of sugar, that ordering and obtaining large amounts of ICUMSA 45 would not be a problem. Unfortunately, this is not the case. Brazil does produce large amounts of sugar every year, but the bulk of this sugar is VHP raw sugar, not ICUMSA 45. Very little ICUMSA 45 is actually produced in Brazil, and the majority of it is sold long before it is produced. If I wanted an ongoing sugar supply, then I would have to do as others did, and make a long term agreement for multiple smaller shipments.

I also learned that Brazil is not as developed as I had expected. In spite of having a multi billion dollar sugar industry, the roads and transport systems are still pretty bad. You’d think that sugar would be transported by train, but most of the time it is sent by truck on badly made and maintained roads. Then there are the ports, which are relatively underdeveloped and simply cannot take massive sugar loads either. The more I learned, the more surprised I was. Brazil seemed to have a huge logistical problem just getting the more common smaller shipments of sugar out of the country, let alone the massive orders I was seeking.

The other thing I learned was that sugar is almost always traded at a set price which is easily found by comparing several soft quotes, or looking up the Intercontinental Commodities Exchange. You just don’t get large discounts on sugar because it is a commodity with a value that is fairly fixed across the board, especially when it comes to Brazilian ICUMSA 45, which seems to always be in high demand, even in high production years.

If I was to advise a new buyer to the market now I would tell them to do their homework extensively. Don’t be lazy and think that just because a mill or a broker can supply one amount of sugar that they will be able to supply you with glorious mountains of the stuff. Researching the country where the sugar is produced as well as the mill you are hoping to do business with is also a good idea. Sure, these things can be time consuming, but its better to invest the time beforehand and avoid nasty surprises than simply to take deals because they seem to be ‘once in a lifetime’ opportunities.

The old adage holds true in sugar buying too: if it seems too good to be true, it probably is.

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Brazil accounts for the bulk of the world’s sugar exports, exporting over 20 million tons of sugar every year to various countries around the world. The main destination of Brazilian sugar is the United States of America, where the VHP raw sugar is refined into ICUMSA 45 for domestic consumption.

This article will cover the basic elements of sugar processing commonly used in mills around the world. Individual processes will of course vary from mill to mill and refinery to refinery depending on the quality of source material, the type of sugar being produced, and the preference of the management.

Raw Sugar From Sugar Cane

Sugar from sugar cane is the most common type of sugar in the world, though it should be noted that there is virtually no difference between ICUMSA 45 sugar made from sugar cane, and ICUMSA 45 sugar made from sugar beet. Sugar from sugar cane is simply more prevalent because the major sugar producing countries, Brazil and India in particular, both have nice warm tropical or subtropical climates depending on the region. Sugar cane grows very well in these climates, and is therefore grown extensively in these areas.

Sugar first emerges from crushed sugar cane in the form of a deep brown juice. This sugar cane juice is extracted by first harvesting the cane at the sugar plantation, washing it, and then chopping and shredding it in preperation for milling. In Brazilian sugar mills expecially, great care is taken not to waste any of the cane, or any of the sucrose rich juice which is extracted from it.

The shredded cane travels through rollers and mills where it is crushed, and as the sugar juice pours out it is collected for processing. Quite often the juice has small pieces of cane floating in it after the crushing process is complete, and these pieces of cane are scooped up from the top of the sugar juice and put through hot rollers in order to seperate the juice from the bagasse, which is a term for the non soluble part of sugar cane. The bagasse is often used to power the sugar mill, or sold for recycling elsewhere.

Once the juice has been collected and strained to remove any large contaminants, it is ready for the next processing stage. What form this stage takes very much depends on whether the sugar is to be left raw, turned into VHP raw sugar, or directly refined into white sugar.

Raw Sugar From Sugar Beet

Sugar beets are sources of sugar in parts of the world which have climates unsuitable for sugar cane. Russia in particular grows a large amount of sugar beets for domestic consumption. Sugar beet is not suitable for crushing like sugar cane. Instead the beets are collected after harvesting, washed, and sliced into thin slices. These thin slices of sugar beet are then fed into a hot water diffuser, which in many ways fucntions like a large tea cup. Hot water flows around the slices of beet, and as it does, the sucrose inside the beet flesh is released into the water, which is then carried away for processing in much the same fashion as sugar cane juice. Extra sugar juice is also obtained by pressing the beet flesh, which is then sold for the purposes of animal feed.

Sugar beets require much more washing and careful preparation before processing than sugar cane, due to the fact that they grow underground, and there is a great deal more dirt clinging to the beet when it is harvested. Beets must also have their top leaves removed before they are sliced and sent through for processing in the hot water diffuser.

Processing Raw Sugar Juice Into Raw Sugar

Processing raw sugar juice into raw sugar is a fairly simple affair. If the sugar is simply to be completely raw, the juice undergoes a process called evaporation, where water is driven off, and then boiled to concentrate the sugar solution before being left to cool. As it cools, sugar crystals form from the juice. Raw sugar is sometimes purified a little by the addition of slaked lime during the initial evaporation stage, but this is not always done. The resulting product is a sticky brown sugar which is unsuitable for human consumption, but is suitable for further refining.

Processing Sugar Cane Juice Into VHP Raw Sugar

If the sugar cane juice is to be processed into VHP Raw sugar, then it undergoes more processing than raw sugar. VHP raw sugar is a very popular form of raw sugar, as it has a high sucrose content (over 99.4%), which is the quality which gives it the name Very High Pol sugar. Pol is a term used to describe the amount of sucrose in sugar. VHP sugar’s popularity stems from its easy refinability, and high quality, two factors which save much time and money at the destination refinery.

To make VHP sugar, the raw cane juice is taken and boiled to concentrate the solution. Once boiled, it is allowed to cool, and sugar crystals are grown in the solution. When sugar crystals are fully grown, the entire solution is sent into a centrifugal chamber, where it is spun at high speeds. This seperates the sugar crystals from the liquid, which is called molasses.

The product of this first round of processing is VHP sugar. The process is then repeated twice more, and the first molasses undergoes boiling, crystalizing, and subsquently centrifuging to produce ‘B’ sugar, and then once again to produce ‘C’ sugar. ‘B’ and ‘C’ sugar are then combined and dissolved in liquid solution and processed one more time to make VHP sugar. Molasses is a by product of this process, and the third stage of processing creates final molasses, also known as ‘Blackstrap’ molasses. This is a very popular molasses product, often sold in health food stores as a source of calcium, potassium, magnesium, and iron.

VHP sugar is a light brown sugar with an ICUMSA rating of around 600 to 1200.

Processing VHP Sugar Into ICUMSA 45

VHP sugar is almost always processed into highly refined ICUMSA 45 sugar. The bulk of VHP raw sugar is sold by Brazil, and is refined in the destination country, which is most often the USA. The processing of VHP raw sugar into ICUMSA 45 sugar can be carried out in a number of ways, but normally involves additional instances of boiling and centrifuging the sugar.

The sugar produced from these boiling and centrifuging stges is then dissolved into a solution that is 50% sugar and 50% liquid, and a substance called ‘milk of lime’ is added to the solution. Milk of lime forms calcium carbonate deposits in the sugar solution as it travels through the liquid. These calcium carbonate deposits draw colorants and other impurities into themselves as they form, and eventually settle on the bottom of the tank, leaving the remaning solution almost 100% pure sucrose. This stage is called carbonization, and removes not only impurities such as small amounts of bacteria and dirt, but also fructose and glucose. An alternative to carbonization is called phosphation. This involves the addition of phosphorous instead of milk of lime, and has a similar purifying effect.

The sucrose solution is then boiled once more to concentrate it, and sugar crystals are grown. The sugar crystals are now aclear sparkling white color, and once they are grown, they are sent into a centrifugal chamber one final time in order to drive off any excess liquid.

The resulting substance of this process is sparkling white, highly refined ICUMSA 45 sugar, ready to be packaged and sold direct to consumers.

Brazilian Sugar Exporters

We export Brazilian sugar directly from the mills. Please contact me with your specific requirements and I will personally do my best to meet your target price and other requirements.

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Thailand’s Changing Sugar Fortunes

Since the mid 90’s, Thailand has had a rocky ride with regards to its sugar industry. In 1996, Thailand was the second largest exporter of sugar in the world, exporting well over 4 million tons of sugar around the globe, with most of the sugar sold to other Asian markets. However it took less than two years for the Thai sugar industry to crumble when world sugar prices fell sharply in 1998 and 1999. In 1998, it exported only 1.3 million tons of sugar, and 1999 wasn’t much better with just under 2 million tons of sugar exported. The early years of the new millennium saw stable sugar exports hovering around the 2 million ton mark, but in recent years Thailand’s sugar exports have rallied considerably with 4.7 million tons of sugar exported in 2007, and 5. 8 million tons forecast for 2008.

The reason for this renewed success is due, in large part, to Thailand’s commitment to lowering production costs and finding new ways to be more efficient in the growing, harvesting, milling, and refining of sugar and sugar cane. Thailand’s initial successes in the sugar market were largely based on a cheap labor force and large areas of cultivatable land both being available. However as world sugar prices tumbled, wages increased, and land began to run out, Thailand was forced to follow in the steps of other successful sugar producing countries, such as Brazil, and find ways to lower production costs. One of the ways that this has been achieved is through the use of bagasse, the dry fibrous part of sugar cane, as fuel to power sugar mills. Bagasse was once discarded as a waste product, but when burned as fuel, often provides more than enough energy to power a sugar mill and refinery.

Growing Sugar Cane In Thailand

Sugar cane grown in Thailand is planted in soft soil with a medium to high fertility. Sugar cane does best in soft, light soils, but does not grow at all well in hard packed or clay soils. There are two main planting seasons in Thailand, and the time of year at which sugar cane is planted dependent on the part of Thailand in which planting is taking place, and whether the sugar cane will be irrigated or will have to depend on rain for water.
In the central regions of Thailand, sugar cane is planted from February through to April if it is to be irrigated, and from April to May if it is to be rain fed. In the northern regions of Thailand, planting season runs from October to November. Virtually all sugar cane crops grown in Thailand’s north are rain fed. There are six main types of sugar cane grown in Thailand, with various qualities that make them suitable for a range of growing conditions. Some develop sugar early, whilst others yield high levels of sucrose, and some resist various types of diseases and pests, whilst others have a shorter growing period and can be harvested more quickly.
Most sugar cane harvested in Thailand is harvested by hand. Some sugar cane farmers do use machinery to harvest their crops, but they are in the minority. Generally speaking, the sugar cane will be cut by workers, which are estimated as each being able to cut one ton of sugar cane per day on average. The cane is cut off low to the ground, and the remaining part of the cane is left in the soil to regrow into new cane. It is important that all cane cut is transported to the mill within two days at the latest, as sucrose content begins to degrade after this point.
Thai sugar mills and refineries use similar processes to mill and refine sugar as are used in Brazil and India. The harvesting and milling season in Thailand runs from November through to March.

The Thai Difference

Unlike in Brazil, where sugar cane plantations are either owned by the mill or leased by the mill, and are generally located in fields surrounding the mill, Thailand’s sugar plantations are privately owned. This means that the harvested sugar cane must travel much further to the mill for processing in Thailand than it would in Brazil. This is a negative point for the Thai sugar industry as a whole, as it makes for increased transport costs, and more middlemen for the mill to pay. However this year’s record production shows that the impact of having separate cane growers and cane mills is not enough to hold the Thai sugar industry back from posting record numbers for sugar production.
Another major difference between Thailand and some other major sugar exporting nations such as Brazil and India is the fact that Thailand is not traditionally a large sugar consuming nation. Instead of sugar, traditional Thai sweeteners include coconut sugar and products made from cassava root. For this reason, Thailand exports the bulk of its sugar, sometimes up to 70% of its total production. Of course, as Thailand becomes more Westernized, and diets in the major cities change, sugar consumption is on the rise, and per person sugar consumption within Thailand has increased more than two fold since the 1980’s.

Thailand Sugar Export

Please contact me with your specific requirements in regards to Thai sugar. I will get back to you with availability and price quotation

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As the world demand for sugar and ethanol increases, so do Brazil’s sugar mills. Over the past few years, sugar mill numbers have been growing in Brazil, and they are forecast to continue doing so until at least 2015. In 2005, Brazil had 320 sugar mills, in 2006, this number had risen to 330. 140 more mills are set to be built by the year 2015. Some existing mills have expanded to almost twice their size , such as in the case of the Moema Sugar Mill, which grew from under 86,000 acres to now cover 173,000 acres of land and produce 880,000 tons of sugar and 185 million gallons of ethanol yearly. There is one small fly in the ointment however, and that is the news that the state of Sao Paulo, where the bulk of Brazil’s sugar growing and milling takes place has suspended licenses effective May 16, 2008 for new mills and refineries pending investigations into the environmental impact that they are likely to have.

Brazilian sugar mills are world famous for developing new and more efficient ways to transform sugar cane into sugar or sugar ethanol. At one time sugar mills were solely for the purpose of producing sugar, most often VHP raw sugar, but nowadays many mills co produce both sugar and sugar ethanol.

Many Brazilian sugar mills are highly efficient not only in the realm of sugar production, but in recycling their resources. Water used to wash sugar cane is filtered and recycled, and parts of the sugar cane itself are also used to fuel many sugar mills. The part of the sugar cane that is used to fuel sugar mills is called bagasse. Bagasse is the dry fibrous part of the sugar cane. Once considered nothing but a waste product and burned out in the fields, many mills now burn bagasse on site in such a fashion as to generate electricity. So much electricity is generated from bagasse that it more than powers the plant, and the surplus electricity is then sold on the national grid, further boosting the mill’s profitability.

Sugar mills normally source their sugar cane on site. Many mills either buy or lease the fields around the mill for the purposes of growing sugar cane. Growing sugar cane close to the mill cuts down considerably on transport costs, and also eliminates a potential middleman, the sugar caner grower.

There are a multitude of workers in a sugar mill responsible for overseeing the various stages of sugar and ethanol production, but it is not only laborers and managers who work in sugar mills. Most large Brazilian sugar mills have a team of scientists on board whose job it is to analyze the sugar cane, the soil in which is it grown, the effects of insects and biological pathogens on the cane, and many other factors which impact how well the cane grows, and how high its sucrose content is. Brazilian sugar scientists are always on the lookout for ways to boost sucrose levels in sugar cane and ways to grow it more efficiently.

Brazil’s world leading status in sugar cane production is not simply down to the sheer size of its landmass and the ability to plant more cane than other countries. Both the Brazilian government and private investors in Brazil have put much time and energy into sugar cane research and development, even going so far as to sequence the sugar cane genome. It is for this reason that Brazil has held onto the title of being the largest word producer of sugar cane, sugar, and sugar ethanol, even as India has turned large swathes of land over to sugar cane production and has funded many new mills.

Most Brazilian sugar mills have special efficiency teams which work on each stage of the milling and refining process, ensuring that procedures are as efficient as possible. Some mills even assign a worker to ensure that all the sugar cane brought to the mill makes it into the first stage of processing, and that no stray stalks of cane are lost by falling off trucks.

By way of illustrating the incredible efficiency of many Brazilian sugar mills, let’s look at the first stage of the milling process, which involves washing the cane before it is shredded and ground up and crushed. The sugar cane, which is normally freshly cut and transported directly to the sugar mill from the fields, or which may possibly have been waiting a few days if there is a surplus of cane, is sent into a washing rack and sprayed heavily with water. Not only is the water used to clean the cane recollected, filtered and used again, it is actually collected, dirt and all, and sent out to ponds, where the silt from the cane settles to the bottom. This silt is then collected and sent back out into the fields to be used as fertilizer on the cane. In a Brazilian sugar mill, not even dirt is wasted!

Once the cane is washed, it is ready for milling, which is also a very efficient process. First the cane is pounded flat, and then shredded by sharp automated blades, before being sent through high pressure rollers. By the end of the process there is nothing left but bagasse, the dry insoluble material that makes up sugar cane.

The sucrose juice sometimes contains small amounts of cane residue, but fortunately for the sugar mill, sugar cane is much lighter than water, so this is easily skimmed from the top of the juice.

The exact processes involved in processing and/or refining sugar vary from mill to mill. Some mills will merely boil the sugar and crystallize it several times in order to produce VHP sugar and molasses, which are then sold and normally exported to offshore refineries, whereas others will both mill sugar and refine it directly on site.

Brazilian sugar mills are becoming very attractive investments for international corporations, and as more and more money flows into sugar mills over the next decade, we can expect to see further exponential growth. Though sugar prices have dropped in 2008, Brazilian sugar mills produce sugar so cheaply (at a cost of as low as 5 cents per pound in some mills in the Sao Paulo region), that they maintain profitability even when world sugar prices drop. The demand for sugar ethanol is also a major contributing factor to the ongoing success of Brazilian sugar mills. As many countries try to free themselves from dependency on fossil fuels, Brazil is leading the way, with over 45% of the energy currently used in the country being derived from renewable fuels, and almost 15% coming directly from sugar cane. The world is very much sitting up and taking notice of the way that Brazil manages its resources and finds fuel sources, and Brazil is poised to provide many of the world’s countries with a relatively low cost fossil fuel substitute, which is why we are sure to see many many more Brazilian sugar mills dotting the countryside in the years to come.

Where to buy Brazilian Sugar

Please contact me and let me know your requirements. I will get back to you with available supply and price quotation within a few hours. I will take any orders between 12.500 metric tons to virtually unlimited.

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A large portion of sugar cane is turned over to production of sugar, especially VHP raw sugar, another Brazilian invention, but a great portion is also used in the production of sugar ethanol, which is a source of bio-fuel, and which has become the second largest source of energy in Brazil. Global demand for ethanol is increasing exponentially, and as a result Brazil is constantly enlarging its sugar cane growing and processing capabilities.

Growing Sugar Cane In Brazil

Before planting, the field is normally left bare for a few weeks to allow the soil to regenerate. High quality soil helps greatly in the production of high sucrose sugar cane. The soil is then tilled, and sugar cane is prepared for planting. Sugar cane is planted in ’setts’ – 10 to 15 cm long lengths of mature young sugar cane which have been cut to length. These setts are put into the furrows, covered with soil and fertilized, and then left to grow. It takes several weeks for them to begin to sprout, and the growing cycle of sugar cane is normally between twelve to sixteen months. During this time the cane needs a great deal of water, and must also be protected from pests and disease.

Sugar cane in Brazil is grown mostly in one of two main areas. The largest of these is located in the center south region of the country, in and around the state of Sao Paulo. The terrain in this region of Brazil is relatively flat, the climate is temperate, and the soil is rich. These factors all make for excellent sugar cane growing conditions. The second region is in the north east, in and around the states of Algolas and Pernambuco. The terrain is much more rough and less sugar cane friendly in this region of the country, and it is more difficult to both grow and harvest sugar cane. Nevertheless, a substantial amount of sugar cane is grown in this region, though it mostly goes to feed local supply.

Brazil is an agricultural giant, and according to estimates, has around 320 million hectares of land which are suitable for cultivating sugar cane. A very small proportion of this is currently being used in sugar cane production, with some experts estimating that far less than five percent of land with the potential for cultivating sugar cane is actually being used for that purpose. This gives us some idea of the scope Brazil has for producing potentially leviathan amounts of sugar cane in the future.

Strains of Sugar Cane

Research in Brazil has resulted in over 60 different strains of sugar cane which allows it to be planted in types of soil that at one time would not have supported sugar cane growth. The strains are also much richer in sucrose than their traditional counterparts which are still grown in many sugar producing countries, and can sometimes be grown for up to twelve generations before sucrose levels suffer.

Processing Sugar Cane

Brazilian sugar cane is most often processed into VHP sugar, and then subsequently into highly refined ICUMSA 45. The first part of the processing occurs at the sugar mill, where the cane is taken after it has been harvested. The cane is cut and shredded before being sent through the rollers and mills which grind and crush the cane, extracting the sucrose rich juice, and yielding bagasse, the fibrous part of the cane as a by product. At one time, this bagasse would have been simply burned as waste, but it is now often used as a source of power in sugar mills, or sold for the making of recyclable products, or use as a fuel in other locations.

The sugar rich juice is then taken and boiled to evaporate the excess water and encourage the growth of sugar crystals. This process is further helped along by the addition of sugar dust, very finely ground sugar crystals around which sucrose forms sugar crystals. When the sugar crystals are grown, both they and the juice they grew in are taken away for centrifuging, a process where they are spun at very high speed. This process drives away the liquid, known as molasses, and leaves behind VHP sugar. The molasses produced at this stage is first molasses, and is still relatively high in sucrose content, so it is fed back to the boiling stage, reboiled, and crystals are regrown before the whole mixture is once again sent into the centrifuging chamber.

The products of this second round of processing are called ‘B’ sugar, and second molasses. The entire process is then repeated again for a third time to create ‘C’ sugar and final, or blackstrap molasses. The ‘B’ and ‘C’ sugar is also quite often redissolved into a liquid solution and reboiled and recrystallized to produce more ‘A’ grade, VHP sugar, which is defined as being raw sugar that has a sucrose content of 99.4%.

The raw VHP sugar is then normally sold offshore to a refinery who puts it through the final stages of refining to strip away most all of the contaminants and transform the light brown VHP sugar into sparkling white ICUMSA 45 sugar.

This is achieved in some cases by another stage of dissolving and centrifuging, but most often by carbonization, which involves dissolving the sugar into a liquid solution and adding milk of lime to that solution. The milk of lime forms deposits of calcium carbonate in the liquid solution. These deposits trap colorants and contaminants and leave the sugar solution pure. The sugar solution is then once more boiled, crystallized, and centrifuged to produce ICUMSA 45 sugar. In some cases, phosphorus may be used in place of milk of lime to achieve the same purification.

Sugar Cane Bagasse

Brazilian sugar cane bagasse has come to be in high demand, as a fuel, and as a replacement for plastics and paper. Bagasse can either be burned as fuel to provide energy for the mill that it was created at, a process which generally provides more than enough electricity to power the mill with a surplus to be sold on the national grid, or it can be charcoaled to make bagasse charcoal briquettes, which do not add to the problem of deforestation, burn cleanly with little pollution, and which have a long storage life.

Bagasse is also sometimes recycled into paper, and even disposable tableware. When molded into tableware, sugar cane bagasse is an excellent substitute for traditional plastics and polystyrene, which wreak havoc with the environment. Unlike plastic and polystyrene which fill up landfills and stubbornly refuse to degrade for thousands of years, a bagasse plate will biodegrade within three months at the longest.

Sugar cane bagasse tableware is also surprisingly strong and resilient, being able to stand temperatures as high as 190 degrees Fahrenheit, and also being microwave and freezer safe.

Sugar cane in Brazil continues to grow from strength to strength. As a source of sugar, ethanol bio-fuel, and with its byproducts such as molasses and bagasse being incredibly useful too, it is unlikely that we will see a decline in the amount of sugar cane in Brazil for many years to come.

Sugar directly from the Sugar Cane Mills

Please contact me and let me know your specific requirements. I will get back to you shortly with the best offer I have access to at any given time.

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ICUMSA 100 sugar is refined sugar of a lower grade and lower cost than ICUMSA 45. A light white color, it does not posses the visual appeal of sparkling white ICUMSA 45, however ICUMSA 100 is nevertheless food grade sugar and safe for human consumption.

ICUMSA Ratings

The ICUMSA ratings system is one set out by the International Commission For Uniform Methods Of Sugar Analysis. This is an international body responsible for regulating the testing of sugar and ensuring that the testing procedures used in various sugar producing and refining countries are uniform across the board. The sugar trade is a global multi billion dollar industry, and so it is essential that buyers and sellers from different countries can effectively communicate information regarding the specifications of the sugar they are selling or seeking to purchase. ICUMSA ratings are an integral part of the sugar trading process, and an understanding of what they are and how they work is advantageous to anyone wishing to enter the sugar trade.

Essentially, ICUMSA ratings are a measurement of how white a sugar is. The color of sugar is directly proportional to how refined it is. ICUMSA 45 sugar, the highest grade of commercial sugar, and the most refined, is so white that it actually sparkles in the light. Raw sugar, on the other hand, is a very rich deep brown color.

ICUMSA testing allows sugar to be graded by its color, and is conducted using a piece of scientific equipment called a colorimeter. During testing a sugar sample is inserted into the specially calibrated colorimeter, and various wavelengths of light are fired at the sample. Depending on the color of the sample, these wavelengths will either be absorbed, or reflected. The amount of light reflected by a sugar sample determines the final ICUMSA rating.

This method of testing works because the property we know as ‘color’ is actually a function of the ability of a substance to absorb various wavelengths of light. Brown sugar absorbs almost all wavelengths apart from a few ‘brown’ wavelengths, which are reflected. White sugar, on the other hand, reflects almost all wavelengths light, which blend together to produce the appearance of a white color.

The Brazilian SGS method of sugar testing assigns low values to highly refined sugar (as in the case of ICUMSA 45 sugar), and high values to unrefined sugar (sometimes in excess of ICUMSA 4000 for very raw sugar). The Brazilian SGS method is the most widely used method, but in some regions of the world, this may be reversed, and raw sugars may be described as having a rating of ICUMSA 42. In order to avoid confusion, it is always wise to ensure that sugar is quoted according to the Brazilian SGS ICUMSA ratings system.

How Sugar Is Refined

ICUMSA 100 sugar is a refined sugar product. Sugar can be refined in a variety of ways, but the methods most commonly used are described below. The exact method used will vary from factory to factory, and will depend on both the refiner’s preferences, the source of the sugar, and other environmental and economic factors.

Raw Sugar

Raw sugar is extracted from sugar cane by crushing the cane and extracting the sucrose rich raw juice. This juice may then either be boiled to concentrate it, and encourage the growth of sucrose crystals before being sent into a centrifugal chamber which separates the liquid from the crystals; or it may simply undergo an evaporation process, in which most of the liquid is evaporated away, leaving a dark and sticky brown sugar substance which is not at all safe for human consumption. The first of these processes results in VHP raw sugar, a high sucrose raw sugar which requires less refining at later stages, whilst the second results in standard raw sugar.

Refining Raw Sugar – Affination

When the refinery receives the raw sugar product, the first stage of processing it undergoes on the way to becoming ICUMSA 45 is affination. This involves mixing the raw sugar with a high sucrose syrup to create a mix known as ‘magma’. The magma is then sent in to a centrifugal chamber and spun at high speeds until the liquid is gone, and the crystals alone remain. Whilst this process is essential for refining raw sugar, it may, in some cases, be unnecessary for VHP sugar, which has already undergone a similar process in its production. In those cases, VHP sugar skips the affination stage, and goes right to the next one, carbonization.

Sugar Carbonization or Phosphation

Sugar from the affination stage is washed and dissolved into a liquid solution for the next stage of the refining process. Carbonization is a term which describes the process in which colorants and contaminants are removed from the sugar. Carbonization involves milk of lime being introduced to the sugar solution. The milk of lime causes small calcium carbonate deposits to build up in the solution and as these travel through the solution they attract colorants and contaminants to them. The colorants and contaminants are thus removed from the solution, leaving it comprised only of pure sucrose and water. The calcium carbonate deposits are removed by a process of sedimentation, and the sugar solution moves on to the final stage. In some cases, phosphorous is used instead of milk of lime in a similar process which is known as phosphation.

Sugar Boiling & Crystallization

The purified liquid is then boiled to remove excess water, and crystallization begins. When the sugar crystals have formed, they are once more sent into a centrifugal chamber where the excess water is removed, and the remaining product is the sugar which is sold worldwide.

Sugar Icumsa 100 Exporter

To get a recent price quotation, please contact me with your detailed requirements. Note that the minimum order is 12.500 metric tons, while the maximum depends on production and shipping/port capabilities

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Unlike the raw sugar it comes from, which is a deep rich brown color, ICUMSA 45 sugar is a beautiful sparkling white color that is instantly recognizable. The preference for ICUMSA 45 sugar is not only aesthetic however, raw sugar can contain a great deal of contaminants and bacteria, but ICUMSA 45 sugar is so refined that it can be regarded as being essentially pure, and therefore much more safe for those consuming it.

The title ‘ICUMSA 45′ reflects a rating which is conferred upon sugar by the International Commission For Uniform Methods Of Sugar Analysis when it meets a certain set of standards. The International Commission For Uniform Methods Of Sugar Analysis is an international body which has set out to ensure that there are reliable methods by which sugar can be tested and analyzed regardless of where it comes from in the world, and that there is also a ratings system which can be quoted and understood worldwide as well.

ICUMSA Ratings

Put simply, ICUMSA ratings are really a measurement of how white a sugar is. Naturally occurring raw sugars are normally a very dark rich brown, whereas highly refined sugars are so white that they sparkle.

Color description alone is not a good way to sell sugar however, because it is very difficult to describe to another person exactly what shade of brown a sugar sample is. The human eye and the descriptive powers of language are not enough to accurately rate sugar. Fortunately for the world sugar trade, there are scientific instruments called colorimeters which can provide precise numerical readings based on the color of a sugar sample.

The type of colorimeter used in the ICUMSA ratings test is known as a tristimulus colorimeter, and this machine tests a sugar sample by firing different wavelengths of light at it and observing which ones are absorbed, and which ones are reflected back. Color is essentially nothing more than a funcion of the ability of a substance to absorb some wavelengths of light and reflect others. Brown raw sugar absorbs most wavelengths of light and reflects back only brown wavelengths, which is why it appears brown, and also why it gets a very high rating on the ICUMSA scale, sometimes ICUMSA 1500 or more. Refined white sugar on the other hand, absorbs very few wavelengths of light, instead reflecting most back. This is what gives it the sparkling appearance it is known for, and also the nice low ICUMSA 45 rating.

Are ICUMSA Ratings Always Standardized?

Although the ICUMSA ratings system is global, in some cases, particularly with European suppliers, one may find that ICUMSA 42 refers to raw sugar instead of highly refined product. In order to ensure that you and any potential suppliers are on the same page, one should always inquire as to the ICUMSA rating according to the Brazilian SGS system.

Making ICUMSA 45

ICUMSA 45 sugar can be refined from sugar beet or sugar cane. In most cases, sugar cane is the source of sugar, as it is grown more widely, especially in the major sugar growing nations of Brazil and India. It makes no difference to the end product whether the sucrose was extracted from sugar beet or sugar cane, however there are some tests which can ascertain the source material if one is concerned with it.

To create the beautiful sparkling white ICUMSA 45 sugar that sits in the cupboards of millions of homes worldwide, one of two processes must be carried out. If the source of the sugar is to be sugar cane, then the sugar cane must first be crushed so that the natural juice inside the cane, and the sucrose with it, pours out of the cane, and can then be collected for refining. If sugar beets are to be used, then they must be thinly sliced then placed in hot water diffusers, much like tea bags, where the hot water breaks down the sucrose in the slices and carries it away for refining.

The bulk of the world’s sugar is produced from sugar cane, so we will concentrate on the production of ICUMSA 45 sugar from this source. Once the raw juice has been extracted from sugar cane, the next step is usually to create a raw sugar product. This can be done by simply evaporating the water off the sugar solution until a brown sticky sugar mass is left behind, or a more involved operation can be undertaken in which the raw sugar juice is boiled and then left to cool so that sugar crystals form, and then sent into a centrifugal chamber where the liquid is separated from the crystals. The product of this process is VHP sugar.

In order to refine raw sugar into ICUMSA 45 sugar, raw sugar is mixed with a high sugar syrup, which prevents the delicate sugar crystals from breaking down in the next stage of the process, which is known as ‘affination’, and involves the magma (which is the name given to the mixture of raw sugar and sugar syrup) being fed into a centrifuge and spun to remove much of the water content.

After the process is complete, the sugar crystals left inside the centrifugal chamber are collected and dissolved into a liquid solution.

The solution is 50% liquid, and 50% sugar, and it is in this state that the sugar undergoes a process called carbonization, which involves milk of lime being added to the liquid and forming small calcium carbonate deposits in the solution. Some refineries working with VHP sugar will go straight to the carbonization process, skipping the affination stage altogether. Contaminants and colorants are attracted to the calcium carbonate and absorbed, and, being heavier than water, the calcium carbonate soon sinks to the bottom along with the impurities, leaving the sugar in solution much more pure. Once the calcium carbonate is removed, the sugar solution is then carried away for the penultimate stage of the refining process.

Boiling is the stage where excess water is boiled away, and sugar crystals are then left to form in the remaining solution. In some cases, sugar dust may be added to the solution in order to make the sugar crystals grow faster. Once the crystals have formed, they are then once more spun in a centrifugal chamber to separate them from any remaining liquid. What emerges from the chamber is beautifully pure ICUMSA 45 sugar, ready for sale on the international market.

 Brazilian Sugar Exporters for Icumsa 45

Please contact me through this form below and let me know your specific requirements. I will get back to you with a price quotation for bulk orders of Icumsa 45 Sugar.

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1.) Current / forecasted sugar supply and demand is the most important factor. In the past (years 1625 – 1750) sugar prices have been as high or sometimes higher than equal weight in gold. Luckily those days are far behind us now. General sugar output trend is getting higher every year. That does not necessarily mean the prices will go down though because in recent years sugar has found it’s use in the ethanol production (for biofuels).

2.) Quantity is the next most important factor. Minimum quantity which I will supply starts at 12.500 metric tons. The maximum is capped only by the yearly production of the target country. Sugar is often pre-sold way in advance. In such cases I can still get it, I just have to negotiate a price with those who bought the production in advance. In the past I have worked on absurd orders for quantities such as 25 million tons of refined white sugar per year on a 5 year contract.

3.) Quality of the Sugar is the next on the price deciding factors list. Today sugar is made either of Sugar Cane or Sugar Beet.  The main sugar types, sorted by quality (icumsa international rating system) are:

- Icumsa 45 (white, refined, granulated sugar – highest quality)

- icumsa 100 – 150 (extra special crystal sugar)

- icumsa 230 max (special crystal sugar)

- icumsa 600 – 800 (consumable raw sugar)

- icumsa 2000 ( raw sugar)

- icumsa 1600 max (raw sugar with higher moisture, ash content and lower polarization)

- icumsa 4600 max (very raw sugar)

4.) Location and source of the sugar are next on the price deciding factors list. The most popular export countries are Brazil, India and Thailand. The prices vary from country to country and from supplier to supplier. Most good sourcing agents have access to multiple (if not all) suppliers and can thus negotiate the best possible price for every project.

5.) Delivery methods by that I mean chosing the right shipping line, destination port accessibility, daily unloading capacity, etc.. can have a big impact on the final price. The difference in shipping cost can be double or even tripple from port to port, shipping line to shipping line.

6.) Broker chains. Each buyer eventually runs into an agent (like me) who is able to get the required type of sugar in required amounts under required terms, secure a better, handle the negotiations, paperwork, provide guidelines for the entire procedure, etc. On the other side there are suppliers who each have their own selling agents. In a perfect situation the buyer’s agent (me) and the seller’s agent come together and finalize the sale. It usually shouldn’t matter but often (like in my case) the buyer’s agent and the seller’s agent can be the same person. The seller usually pays comission to all parties involved (the comission is shared by buyer’s and seller’s agents). That comission is already a part of the final price which the buyer pays.  Then there are independent brokers who find good opportunities on both buyer and seller side. They combine the buyer who is willing to buy at the highest price with the seller who is willing to sell at the lowest price. The difference can sometimes be the broker’s proffit, although good sellers usually refuse to pay out abnormally high comissions. There can be several brokers who offer the deal to eachother, and each of them is then involved in the final sale. That is called a “broker chain”. Neither seller nor buyer like those. Some accept them, some don’t.

Example sugar prices

I have been working with five direct sources of ICUMSA 45 for several years. None of them will ever even consider giving me a document outlining all their prices to send around in the internet. NEVER!

Unfortunately, sellers who have real product do not provide a price sheet like this one which I am listing below. Every order is different, and must be treated as such. Buyers and sellers of product who have invested millions and billions of their money to do this business will not provide a price sheet like this so people (brokers, traders) can go sell like if it was candy.

When the buyer commits to a longer term order, the price can be adjusted to the total quantity and is thus lower than a spot order.

Remember, sugar is a commodity and as such it depends on the market movement (on a daily basis) it also heavily depends on oil prices. The prices listed above are approximate examples of my past performance.

If you have any questions, or need a soft price quote, please contact me.

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