Sugarcane serves as a prime example of a renewable and versatile crop, capable of being utilized as a source of clean energy and raw materials. Presently, Brazil holds the top position as the global leader in sugarcane production. The modernization of 430 operational plants across the country, incorporating innovative technologies from cultivation to the production of sugar, ethanol, and bioelectricity, has fortified the sector's standing, renowned globally for its pioneering approaches and productive efficiency.

Accounting for over half of the world's traded sugar, the country aims to achieve an average production growth rate of 3.25% by 2018/19, harvesting 47.34 million tons of sugarcane, marking an increase of 14.6 million tons from the 2007/2008 period. In terms of exports, the projected volume for 2019 is set at 32.6 million tons. Brazil is responsible for an annual production of 490 million tons of sugarcane (2011/2012), with approximately 90% of Brazilian sugarcane harvested in the South-Central region, notably in São Paulo, contributing to 60% of the nation's production.

About ICUMSA

ICUMSA is a world-wide body which brings together the activities of the National Committees for Sugar Analysis in more than thirty member countries. Work is carried out under various Subject headings, each headed by a Referee.

Methods are recommended for tentative approval by ICUMSA in the first instance. Upon meeting all of the Commission's requirements, methods are accorded official status. Methods which are demonstrably useful and have found an established application, or which do not lend themselves to collaborative testing are given an Accepted status.

An ICUMSA rating is an international unit for expressing the purity of the sugar in solution, and is directly related to the colour of the sugar. Be aware that there are different types of ICUMSA units. For Brazilian sugar, the lower the ICUMSA figure the whiter the sugar.