The extraction of sugar from sugarcane involves a detailed and complex process:

1. Harvesting the Sugarcane:
   The sugarcane is cut and collected from the fields, usually by hand or with specialized machinery.
2. Washing and Preparation:
   The sugarcane is transported to the mill, where it is cleaned to remove impurities, soil, and debris. It is then chopped or shredded into small pieces to facilitate juice extraction.
3. Milling or Crushing:
   The sugarcane is passed through large mills or presses that squeeze out the juice. During this process, as much sugary juice as possible is extracted, and the remaining fiber (called bagasse) is separated. Bagasse is often used as fuel to generate energy for the mill.
4. Clarification:
   The extracted juice is heated and mixed with chemicals (like lime) to remove impurities. These impurities are separated from the juice through sedimentation or filtration.
5. Evaporation:
   The clarified juice is heated and concentrated using evaporators, removing most of the water. This results in a thick syrup.
6. Crystallization:
   The concentrated syrup undergoes a crystallization process where sugar begins to form crystals. Vacuum and controlled agitation are used to facilitate this process.
7. Centrifugation:
   The sugar crystals are separated from the remaining syrup (called molasses) using centrifuges. The resulting raw sugar still contains some impurities and is sent for further refining.
8. Refining (Optional):
   To produce white or refined sugar, the raw sugar is dissolved again, filtered to remove remaining impurities, and crystallized once more. The refined sugar is then dried, packaged, and prepared for distribution.

Different Types of Sugar Can Be Obtained from This Process:

• Raw sugar
• Refined white sugar
• Brown sugar, depending on the level of refinement and the additives used.

Byproduct:

The leftover molasses can be used for other products, such as rum production or table molasses.