SAO PAULO, Brazil (LSU AgCenter) — A group of Louisiana State University AgCenter extension agents and researchers recently traveled to Brazil to get a firsthand look at the country’s sugar industry and compare production practices with those used in Louisiana.
One of the biggest takeaways from the trip was the scale of Brazil’s sugarcane sector. Researchers observed a much larger number of varieties being grown to help manage harvest timing throughout the season.
LSU AgCenter Area Ag Agent Vincent Deshotel said growers in Brazil have access to dozens of sugarcane varieties and often use multiple varieties on a single operation.
“They have 40-something varieties to their exposure. On this farm where we are today, they are utilizing 18 varieties for their production system for an early harvest, a midseason harvest and a late-season harvest.”
By comparison, a typical Louisiana sugarcane farm may only grow four or five varieties.
The group also observed differences in water and insect management. While Louisiana producers often focus on removing excess moisture, growers in this region of Brazil work to retain water because they receive significantly less rainfall.
Researchers noted that biological controls are also more commonly used for insect management, including fungi that target pests in the soil.
Despite the differences, LSU AgCenter Area Ag Agent Renee Naquin said many of the practices being used in Brazil reinforced work already taking place in Louisiana.
“It’s very interesting to see all the things that they’re doing, but it kind of solidifies some of the things we’re doing because they are doing a lot of the same things we’re doing.”
The group also toured two sugar mills, both of which included ethanol production units and electrical generating plants that help supply power to the local grid.
Brazil grows approximately 25 million acres of sugarcane, and nearly 20 percent of the country’s energy needs are derived from cane.
