Editing Sugar (section)

== Production ==

{{see also|List of sugars}}

Due to rising demand, sugar production in general increased some 14% over the period 2009 to 2018.<ref name="usda17">{{cite web |url=https://apps.fas.usda.gov/psdonline/circulars/Sugar.pdf |title=Sugar: World Markets and Trade |publisher=Foreign Agricultural Service, US Department of Agriculture |date=November 2017 |access-date=20 May 2018 |archive-date=23 November 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181123144029/https://apps.fas.usda.gov/psdonline/circulars/Sugar.pdf |url-status=live }}</ref> The largest importers were China, [[Indonesia]], and the United States.<ref name="usda17" />

===Sugar===
In 2022–2023 world production of sugar was 186 million tonnes, and in 2023–2024 an estimated 194 million tonnes — a surplus of 5 million tonnes, according to [[Ragus]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.ragus.co.uk/global-sugar-market-report-april-2024 |title=Global sugar market report April 2024 |work=Ragus |last=Eastick |first=Ben |date=4 April 2024 |access-date=15 January 2025}}</ref>

=== Sugarcane ===

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; clear:left; width:15em;"
|-
! colspan=2|Sugarcane production – 2022
|-
!  style="background:#ddf; width:75%;"| Country
!  style="background:#ddf; width:25%; text-align:center;"| <small>Millions of [[tonne]]s</small>
|-
| {{BRA}} || 724.4
|-
| {{IND}} || 439.4
|-
| {{CHN}} || 103.4
|-
| {{THA}} || 92.1
|-
| '''World''' || '''1,922.1'''
|-
|colspan=2 |<small>Source: [[UN Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]]<ref name="faostat-sc22">{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC|title=Sugar beet production in 2022, Crops/Regions/World list/Production Quantity/Year (pick lists)|date=2024|publisher=UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT)|access-date=10 June 2024}}</ref></small>
|}

Sugar cane accounted for around 21% of the global crop production over the 2000–2021 period. The Americas was the leading region in the production of sugar cane (52% of the world total).<ref>{{Cite book |url=https://openknowledge.fao.org/handle/20.500.14283/cc8166en |title=World Food and Agriculture – Statistical Yearbook 2023 |date=2023 |publisher=[[Food and Agriculture Organization]] |isbn=978-92-5-138262-2 |language=English |doi=10.4060/cc8166en}}</ref>
Global production of [[sugarcane]] in 2022 was 1.9&nbsp;billion tonnes, with Brazil producing 38% of the world total and India 23% (table).

Sugarcane is any of several species, or their hybrids, of giant grasses in the genus ''[[Saccharum]]'' in the family [[Poaceae]]. They have been cultivated in tropical climates in the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia over centuries for the sucrose found in their stems.<ref name="Moxham2002"/>

[[File:World Production Of Raw Sugar, Main Producers.svg|thumb|left|World production of raw sugar, main producers<ref>{{cite book |title=World Food and Agriculture – Statistical Yearbook 2021 |url=https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cb4477en/|access-date=2021-12-13 |publisher=Food and Agriculture Organization |via=www.fao.org |year=2021 |doi=10.4060/cb4477en |isbn=978-92-5-134332-6 |s2cid=240163091 |archive-date=3 November 2021 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20211103083611/https://www.fao.org/documents/card/en/c/cb4477en/ |url-status=live}}</ref>]]

Sugar cane requires a frost-free climate with sufficient rainfall during the growing season to make full use of the plant's substantial growth potential. The crop is harvested mechanically or by hand, chopped into lengths and conveyed rapidly to the [[sugar mill|processing plant]] (commonly known as a [[sugar mill]]) where it is either milled and the juice extracted with water or extracted by diffusion.<ref name="skil2">{{cite web |title=How Cane Sugar is Made – the Basic Story |url=http://www.sucrose.com/lcane.html |publisher=Sugar Knowledge International |access-date=24 September 2018 |archive-date=22 September 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180922144828/http://www.sucrose.com/lcane.html |url-status=live }}</ref> The juice is clarified with [[Calcium hydroxide|lime]] and heated to destroy [[enzyme]]s. The resulting thin syrup is concentrated in a series of evaporators, after which further water is removed. The resulting [[Supersaturation|supersaturated]] solution is seeded with sugar crystals, facilitating crystal formation and drying.<ref name=skil2/> [[Molasses]] is a by-product of the process and the fiber from the stems, known as [[bagasse]],<ref name=skil2/> is burned to provide energy for the sugar extraction process. The crystals of raw sugar have a sticky brown coating and either can be used as they are, can be bleached by [[sulfur dioxide]], or can be treated in a [[carbonatation]] process to produce a whiter product.<ref name=skil2/> About {{convert|2500|L|usgal}} of irrigation water is needed for every {{convert|1|kg|lb|abbr=off|spell=in}} of sugar produced.<ref>{{cite web |first=Kerry |last=Flynn |url=http://www.ibtimes.com/india-drought-2016-may-lead-29-35-drop-sugar-output-2016-17-season-report-2358604 |title=India Drought 2016 May Lead 29–35% Drop In Sugar Output For 2016–17 Season: Report |newspaper=International Business Times |date=23 April 2016 |access-date=27 October 2016 |archive-date=9 October 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161009123021/http://www.ibtimes.com/india-drought-2016-may-lead-29-35-drop-sugar-output-2016-17-season-report-2358604 |url-status=live }}</ref>

=== Sugar beet ===

{| class="wikitable" style="float:right; clear:left; width:15em;"
|-
! colspan=2|Sugar beet production – 2022
|-
!  style="background:#ddf; width:75%;"| Country
!  style="background:#ddf; width:25%; text-align:center;"| <small>Millions of [[tonne]]s</small>
|-
|-
| {{RUS}} || 48.9
|-
| {{FRA}} || 31.5
|-
| {{USA}} || 29.6
|-
| {{DEU}} || 28.2
|-
| '''World''' || '''260'''
|-
|colspan=2 |<small>Source: [[UN Food and Agriculture Organization|FAO]]<ref name="faostat-sc22">{{cite web|url=http://www.fao.org/faostat/en/#data/QC|title=Sugar beet production in 2022, Crops/Regions/World list/Production Quantity/Year (pick lists)|date=2024|publisher=UN Food and Agriculture Organization, Corporate Statistical Database (FAOSTAT)|access-date=10 June 2024}}</ref></small>
|}

In 2022, global production of [[sugar beet]]s was 260 million [[tonne]]s, led by Russia with 18.8% of the world total (table).

Sugar beet became a major source of sugar in the 19th century when methods for extracting the sugar became available. It is a [[biennial plant]],<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/safety/environmental_safety/184.sugar_beet.html |title=Biennial beet |publisher=GMO Compass |access-date=26 January 2014 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140202202007/http://www.gmo-compass.org/eng/safety/environmental_safety/184.sugar_beet.html |archive-date=2 February 2014 }}</ref> a [[cultivar|cultivated variety]] of ''[[Beta vulgaris]]'' in the [[Family (biology)|family]] [[Amaranthaceae]], the tuberous root of which contains a high proportion of sucrose. It is cultivated as a root crop in temperate regions with adequate rainfall and requires a fertile soil. The crop is harvested mechanically in the autumn and the crown of leaves and excess soil removed. The roots do not deteriorate rapidly and may be left in the field for some weeks before being transported to the processing plant where the crop is washed and sliced, and the sugar extracted by diffusion.<ref name="skil">{{cite web |url=http://www.sucrose.com/lbeet.html |title=How Beet Sugar is Made |publisher=Sugar Knowledge International |access-date=22 March 2012 |archive-date=21 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120321063949/http://www.sucrose.com/lbeet.html |url-status=live }}</ref> [[Milk of lime]] is added to the raw juice with [[carbonatation|calcium carbonate]]. After water is evaporated by boiling the syrup under a vacuum, the syrup is cooled and seeded with sugar crystals. The [[white sugar]] that crystallizes can be separated in a centrifuge and dried, requiring no further refining.<ref name=skil/>

=== Refining ===

{{See also|Sugar refinery|Non-centrifugal cane sugar|White sugar}}

Refined sugar is made from raw sugar that has undergone a [[refining]] process to remove the [[molasses]].<ref name="agrifinasi">{{cite web |title=Tantangan Menghadapi Ketergantungan Impor Gula Rafinasi |publisher=Asosiasi Gula Rafinasi Indonesia |url=http://www.agrirafinasi.org/tentang-kami/swasembada |access-date=9 April 2014 |language=id |archive-date=13 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413155338/http://www.agrirafinasi.org/tentang-kami/swasembada |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref name="kompas">{{cite web |title=Rafinasi Vs Gula Kristal Putih |publisher=Kompas Gramedia |url=http://bisniskeuangan.kompas.com/read/2011/07/29/02442655/Rafinasi.Vs.Gula.Kristal.Putih |access-date=9 April 2014 |language=id |date=29 July 2011 |archive-date=13 April 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140413155126/http://bisniskeuangan.kompas.com/read/2011/07/29/02442655/Rafinasi.Vs.Gula.Kristal.Putih |url-status=live }}</ref> Raw sugar is sucrose which is extracted from sugarcane or [[sugar beet]]. While raw sugar can be consumed, the refining process removes unwanted tastes and results in refined sugar or white sugar.<ref name="western">{{cite web |title=Refining and Processing Sugar |publisher=The Sugar Association |access-date=16 April 2014 |url=http://westernsugar.com/pdf/Refining%20and%20Processing%20Sugar.pdf |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150221031555/http://westernsugar.com/pdf/Refining%20and%20Processing%20Sugar.pdf |archive-date=21 February 2015 }}</ref><ref name="tebu">{{cite book |title=Ketika Tebu Mulai Berbunga |chapter=Bagaimana Gula Dimurnikan – Proses Dasar |editor1=Pakpahan, Agus |editor2=Supriono, Agus |year=2005 |publisher=Sugar Observer |location=Bogor |isbn=978-979-99311-0-8 |language=id}}</ref>

The sugar may be transported in bulk to the country where it will be used and the refining process often takes place there. The first stage is known as affination and involves immersing the sugar crystals in a concentrated syrup that softens and removes the sticky brown coating without dissolving them. The crystals are then separated from the liquor and dissolved in water. The resulting syrup is treated either by a [[carbonatation]] or by a phosphatation process. Both involve the precipitation of a fine solid in the syrup and when this is filtered out, many of the impurities are removed at the same time. Removal of color is achieved by using either a granular [[activated carbon]] or an [[ion-exchange resin]]. The sugar syrup is concentrated by boiling and then cooled and seeded with sugar crystals, causing the sugar to crystallize out. The liquor is spun off in a centrifuge and the white crystals are dried in hot air and ready to be packaged or used. The surplus liquor is made into refiners' molasses.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.sucrose.com/lref.html |title=How Sugar is Refined |publisher=SKIL |access-date=22 March 2012 |archive-date=22 March 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120322085837/http://www.sucrose.com/lref.html |url-status=live }}</ref>

The [[International Commission for Uniform Methods of Sugar Analysis]] sets standards for the measurement of the purity of refined sugar, known as ICUMSA numbers; lower numbers indicate a higher level of purity in the refined sugar.<ref>{{cite journal |last=Deulgaonkar |first=Atul |date= 12–25 March 2005 |title=A case for reform |journal=Frontline |volume=22 |issue=8 |url=http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2208/stories/20050422000804500.htm |url-status=usurped |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110728040727/http://www.hinduonnet.com/fline/fl2208/stories/20050422000804500.htm |archive-date=28 July 2011 }}</ref>

Refined sugar is widely used for industrial needs for higher quality. Refined sugar is purer (ICUMSA below 300) than raw sugar (ICUMSA over 1,500).<ref name="tebu 2">{{cite book |title=Ketika Tebu Mulai Berbunga |chapter=Industri Rafinasi Kunci Pembuka Restrukturisasi Industri Gula Indonesia |editor1=Pakpahan, Agus |editor2=Supriono, Agus |year=2005 |publisher=Sugar Observer |location=Bogor |isbn=978-979-99311-0-8 |pages=70–72 |language=id}}</ref> The level of purity associated with the colors of sugar, expressed by standard number [[International Commission for Uniform Methods of Sugar Analysis|ICUMSA]], the smaller ICUMSA numbers indicate the higher purity of sugar.<ref name="tebu 2"/>