Cleaning Cane
The cane is brought up to the wash rack on a conveyor with teeth. As the cane is pulled over the top of the rack, it is sprayed with water pumped from a pond just in front of the Barra Grande Refinery. This process removes most of the dirt from the cane fields. The water is then run back to the pond with the dirt. As the silt begins to build in the pond, back-hoes dig the silt out and send it, along with the powdery residue of the milled cane, to the cane fields as fertilizer.
You might have noticed this cane is very thin. This is an indication that there was a lack of rain during the growing season. Is this a bad thing? Scientists on-site told us that cane which receives lower than average rainfall during the growing season is much higher in sucrose, thus yielding more sugar per weight.
The scientists on-site study more than cane density. They study soil conditions, insect infestation, fertilizers, and how different cane types grow in different soils, plus many other things. Getting the most from the soil is the main concern. A team also works on each point of the milling and refining process, making sure it is done in the most efficient manner.
And now, our cane is ready to be pulverized!