The diagram illustrates the step-by-step process of producing sugar from sugar cane. Overall, the process involves seven crucial stages, beginning with growing and harvesting the sugar cane, followed by extraction, purification, and crystallization, before finally drying and cooling the sugar.
To begin with, the process starts with the cultivation of sugar cane, which takes approximately 12 to 18 months to fully mature. Once the plants reach maturity, they are harvested either manually, using traditional methods like cutting with a knife, or mechanically with specialized equipment. After harvesting, the sugar cane is transported to a crushing machine, where it is pressed to extract the juice.
Next, the extracted juice undergoes purification by passing through a filter to remove impurities. The purified juice is then heated to evaporate excess water, transforming it into a thick syrup. Following this, the syrup is placed in a centrifuge, which helps separate sugar crystals from the remaining liquid. Finally, the sugar crystals are dried and cooled, completing the process and making the sugar ready for packaging and consumption