According to data from the International Sugar Organization, Guatemala is the second largest sugar exporter in Latin America and the fifth worldwide. In addition, it is the third largest sugar producer in Latin America and the Caribbean.
Research and development, a fundamental pillar for the Guatemalan Sugar Industry, has contributed to improve efficiency and competitiveness each harvest. The development of varieties of sugarcane is one of the great contributions of the research center, and through the natural crossing of plants, 33 varieties of Guatemalan sugarcane have been developed that are more productive, resistant to pests and climate change.
The sugar produced in Guatemala is exported to all continents and according to data from the Bank of Guatemala (Banguat) in 2020, 59% of sugar exports were destined for countries on the American continent, followed by Asia with 19%, Africa with 13%, Europe with 5% and Oceania with 4%.
Expogranel, the door to the world of the Guatemalan Sugar
For export, the Sugar Industry has one of the best specialized terminals for the shipment of sugar. Expogranel, located in Puerto Quetzal (102 km South of Guatemala City), is the specialized terminal for handling and shipping bulk sugar in Guatemala, which has positioned itself as one of the most efficient terminals in the world.
It has the capacity to store 350,000 metric tons of sugar in bulk and 58,000 metric tons of sugar in bags, this added to its loading speed, compared to other countries gives Guatemala a competitive advantage.
What makes it more impressive is its current shipping rate of 2,000 metric tons of bulk sugar per hour. Before Expogranel existed, a 35 thousand metric ton ship was loaded in 30 days and today it is done in an average of 18 hours. And it has a sugar shipping capacity of more than 3,500 tons in bags per day.