In Brazil, Reuters reports that with ethanol at near all-time highs and sugar at five-year highs, investors are rushing to scoop up opportunities in the “Saudi Arabia of sugarcane”. As many as 40 mills are for sale and 30% of the country’s sugarcane crushing capacity, primarily smaller mills, is idle due to years of financial […]
In Brazil, a study conducted at the Brazilian Center for Research in Energy and Materials (CNPEM) has discovered that three strains of Pseudomonas bacteria can inhibit growth, and even cause the death, of the fungus responsible for pineapple sett rot, a disease that attacks sugarcane, especially in the planting season. The results are reported in an article published in Environmental […]
In Switzerland, ABB is to automate NatureWorks’ (world’s leading manufacturer of polylactic acid) new bioplastics plant in Thailand which will convert sugar cane to sustainable plastics. The plant – set to produce 75,000 tons of biopolymer per year – will ferment and distill plant-based sugars, converting the sugars first to lactic acid, then lactide and […]
In Brazil, yellow leaf disease, a major sugarcane pest in Brazil, is caused by a virus resistant to thermal treatment. An infected plantation can be saved only by growing plantlets in tissue culture in the laboratory and planting them out, a time-consuming process that requires specialized infrastructure and personnel. According to a group of scientists […]
In India, the Daily Pioneer newspaper reports that two sugar companies in Uttar Pradesh—Balampur and Pipraich Sugar—will produce ethanol directly from sugarcane juice during the new season starting October 1. The UP government greenlighted the use of sugar juice as ethanol feedstock in October 2020. The state produced nearly 1 billion liters at 72 distilleries […]
In New York state, Kindly, a new line of sustainable intimates, launches featuring the first-ever plant-based bra cup sourced from Brazilian sugarcane. Available exclusively at Walmart, kindly is on a mission to make sustainability accessible to everyone. Its product line features a wide range of sustainable bras and underwear made from recycled materials, and a promise […]
In Brazil, Platts reports UNICA data showed sugarcane production has fallen by more than 7% this season through July to 304 million metric tons, the lowest since 2017/18, which pushed sugar futures higher as well as the spot price for hydrous ethanol. Ethanol production reached 14.1 billion liters through July, down nearly 3.5% on the […]
In Brazil, the fungus Fusarium verticillioides is one of the causes of red rot, the most serious sugarcane disease. Losses average around $1 billion per harvest in Brazil alone. The traditional approach to the etiology of this disease is that it is triggered by Diatraea saccharalis, a moth usually referred to as the sugarcane borer. […]
In Brazil, Reuters reports UNICA data shows that sugarcane production has fallen by a quarter during H2 April due to yields falling 10% on the year, further tightening the already limited available of both sugar and ethanol. With mills focusing on sugar production over ethanol due to high world prices, ethanol production fell by 22% […]
In Hawaii, a groundbreaking study investigating the growth of selected varieties of sugarcane to convert into high-performance jet fuel is underway at the University of Hawai‘i at Hilo College of Agriculture, Forestry, and Natural Resource Management (CAFNRM). Utilizing advanced technologies in agronomics and bioeconomy, the researchers are ultimately looking to improve the island’s environmental sustainability, […]
