Month: October 2017

Guatemala exports US$825.3 million in 2017

The Sugar Agroindustry of Guatemala exported US$825.7 million in sugar last year, according to official information from the Bank of Guatemala (Central).

The destiny of the Guatemalan sugar was in 44 percent to the American continent; 27 percent to Africa and 24 percent to Asia; the remaining 5 percent went to Europe and Oceania.

The Sugar from Guatemala and its byproducts is the second most exported product from the country and in 2017 represented 9 percent of the total exports, after textiles that represented 12 percent.

The countries that imported more sugar from Guatemala last year, were United States, Ivory Coast, Chile, Malasia and Peru.

One of the strengths of the Sugar of Guatemala is the vision and unity of the Guild, that has led to the creation of specialized institutions in scientific research, exports and social sustainability, factors that had contributed to their competitiveness and leadership in the international market.

Guatemalan Sugar byproducts are coveted

The productivity of the Sugar from Guatemala is a symbol of efficiency and technological progress at global level, Guatemala it´s the second largest sugar exporter in Latin America y and fourth in the world.

As a result of that efficiency, the byproducts of the sugar production as alcohol and Molasses, are mainly exported. Last year Guatemala exported 308,446 metric tons of molasses, according to official records of Bank of Guatemala (Central).

The molasses were exported to the United States, Virgin Islands, United Kingdom, South Africa and Taiwan. The alcohol and ethanol were exported to Netherlands, Puerto Rico, South Corea and Mexico, among other countries.

The Guatemalan Sugar Mills are self sufficient in the energy field, as they generate their own energy and the surplus is sold to the National and regional electricity Market, contributing to the diversification of the Guatemalan energy matrix, and reducing the dependence on bunker.

The Guatemalan Sugar Atroindustry has an installed capacity of energy generation of 630 Megawatts, and since it´s efficient, the energy its cogenerated from biomass, another residue form the sugar production.