The South African and Southern African Regions - Part Ⅱ: Sugarcane Processing

摘要

The optimization of sugar recovery from sugarcane has always been the main focus of the southern African sugar industries. Except for Mauritius which was forced to invest in the cogeneration of electricity, the abundance of coal and resulting availability of electricity has shaped the industry into a supplier of mainly crystal sugar and minor producer of by-products such as bioethanol, animal feed, and paper products. Legislative changes in the European Union policies that impact directly on sugar trade agreements and the recent drive towards renewable energy and chemical intermediates have forced these industries to realign their strategic direction to ensure sustainability both in the short- and long-terms. With vast arable land suitable to sugarcane production available in the region, ethanol production, cogeneration, biomass gasification, and a host of other by-products have moved to the forefront of research and development efforts. Availability of research funds, both public and private, will ensure the survival of the industries.