Author: adminwp

Guatemala june 4, 2018. The 11 sugar mills, members of the Guatemala Sugar Association (ASAZGUA), solidarize with the Guatemalan society, the victims and relatives of the victims of the eruption of the Fuego Volcano.

The mils through the Sugar Association of Guatemala, have put at the disposal of the authorities: industrial kitchens, heavy machinery and medical support, to provide assistance to the victims and restore access roads to the affected communities. These resources will be at the complete disposal and coordination of the Emergency Operations Center of the Guatemalan Government as required.

The Sugar from Guatemala acquired the commitment to use their industrial kitchens available for the preparation of food that is to be supplied at the shelters functioning in Siquinalá and Santa Lucía Cotzumalguapa, also in Escuintla.

There will also be support the work done in the roads to clear the access to the communities affected by the eruption; however, it will be the authorities who will prioritize and establish the strategy to carry out these tasks.

Regarding health assistance, the industry is coordinating the donation of medicines to attend wounded patients who have presented burns, ophthalmologic and respiratory problems. These donations will be delivered through the adequate channels.

“Our focus at this time, is to help the authorities attend the emergency. We are more committed than ever with Guatemala, but especially with our neighbors, since our operations are carried out in the affected area, on the South of Guatemala”, was stated at a press release of the Industry.

 

Facing Climate Change challenges

The climate change is a challenge that the world faces today, and the Guatemalan Sugar Industry is aware of that, and has taken measures to face it.

One of the ways has been research. In this field the scientists of the Guatemalan Research Center of the Sugar Cane –Cengicaña in Spanish-, have developed new sugarcane varieties resistant to pest, diseases and water stress in order to adapt to the conditions of every specific region, where the sugarcane grows.

Also, given the impact of Climate Change, the sugar Agroindustry has implemented practices to reduce water consumption, and the use of water in agricultural processes has been reduced through the implementation of more efficient irrigation systems, as well as the use of new technologies and processes such as the dry cleaning of the sugar cane when it reaches the mills. Only this saves millions of gallons of water.

Some mills in Guatemala have reduced in 99 per cent the use of water in specific processes; meanwhile the industrial waste water produced is sent to treatment and then since it´s loaded with nutrients is used to ferti irrigation systems, back at the fields.

In addition, with the support of the Guatemalan Climate Change Institute –ICC in Spanish- the Sugar Industry has planted 3.4 million trees since 2011, and this year the goal is 1 million dollars.

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.