suhkrutootmised

Suhkrutootmised is the Estonian term for the industrial production of sugar from sugar-bearing crops, primarily sugar cane and sugar beet. It covers agricultural cultivation, extraction of sugars, refining, and the management of by-products. The choice of crop depends on climate: sugar cane is grown in tropical regions and processed near fields to reduce transport losses, while sugar beet is cultivated in temperate zones and processed in dedicated facilities during colder months.

The production process generally starts with juice extraction. Cane is crushed or milled to release juice; beet is cleaned, sliced, and subjected to diffusion with hot water to extract sugars. The juice or extract is clarified to remove impurities, then concentrated through evaporation to form a syrup. Crystallization and separation yield sugar crystals and a molasses by-product. The crystals are washed, dried, and packaged as white sugar, with raw or specialty sugars also produced in some facilities.

By-products play an important role. Molasses is used for fermentation products, animal feeds, or further processing; bagasse (the fibrous residue from cane) and beet pulp provide energy and other uses. Efficient use of by-products is a key aspect of modern suhkru tootmised, contributing to energy recovery and waste reduction.

Global production is geographically distributed according to climate and technology. Cane sugar is dominated by tropical nations such as Brazil and India, while beet sugar production is common in European countries, the United States, and parts of Eastern Europe. Historically, sugar production developed from cane cultivation in ancient Asia and the Middle East, with sugar beet processing emerging in Europe in the 18th and 19th centuries, enabling inland production and influencing global sugar markets.