Sugarcane

Sugarcane is a sweet success.

Sugarcane is a group of grass species from the Saccharum genus, that belongs to Poaceae, the family of true grass; and sugar is extracted from the plants, that are usually grown for commercial purposes.
Sugarcane is a perennial plant, native to areas of southern Asia, that grows best in tropical habitats, and reaches heights of between 2 to 6 metres (6.5 to 19.7 feet) and a diameter of roughly 5 centimetres (2 inches).
Most commercially grown sugarcane is a hybrid that is generally a cross between the species Saccharum officinarum and Saccharum spontaneum, although there are a small number of other plants in the Saccharum genus that may be used for this purpose.
Sugarcane plants takes 9 to 24 months to grow to maturity, depending on the climate, and they are the raw material that produces 80% of the world’s sugar production, while the plants are also used for making ethanol, molasses, bagasse, rum and other products.
The majority of a sugarcane stalk is made of water, with up to three quarters possible, while up to 16% can be sugar, and the fibre content can be also be up to 16%.

Many sugarcane farms were formed across the world beteween the 1800s and 1900s, and slaves from various locations were used as the primary labour.
The fibres of the sugarcane plant can be woven into mats; used for papermaking purposes; and added to other fibres to make fabric.
Australia, parts of the United States, Asia’s India and Indonesia, the Pacific Islands and South America – including Peru and Brazil, are popular sugarcane farm locations, while in 2013, Brazil was the largest producer of the crop in the world.
The harvesting of sugarcane, which is accomplished by hand with a special tool or the use of a mechanical harvester, is done before the plant sets flower with its feathery tufts; and in many cases the crop is set alight beforehand to eradicate dangerous animals and leaves.
Sugar is produced from sugarcane juice located in the stalk of the plant, and is done through a milling process, which involves crushing, heating, cooling and refining.

Amazon: