Band 9: The diagram below shows the manufacturing process for making sugar from sugar cane. Summarise the information by selecting and reporting the main features, and make comparisons where relevant.

The diagram illustrates the process by which sugar cane is manufactured into sugar.

Overall, the process consists of seven stages, beginning with the cultivation of sugar cane and ending with the production of refined sugar. During this process, sugar cane is harvested, crushed, filtered and refined before becoming the final product.

Initially, sugar cane is grown for a period of 12 to 18 months until it reaches maturity. It is then harvested either manually by workers or mechanically using machines. In the third stage, the harvested sugar cane is crushed to extract the juice.

Next, the extracted juice is filtered through a limestone filter in order to remove impurities. In the fifth stage, the purified juice is heated in an evaporator, where excess water is removed and the liquid thickens to form syrup. This syrup is then processed in a centrifuge, which separates sugar crystals from the remaining liquid.

Finally, the sugar crystals are dried and cooled, resulting in the production of finished sugar.