SOME sugarcane farmers in southeastern Zimbabwe are shifting to solar energy to fend off serious shortages of electricity in the country. The power deficit afflicting the Zimbabwe Electricity Supply Authority (ZESA) Holdings is affecting the operations of companies in the country already performing below capacity. A consortium of 35 sugarcane farmers at Mapanza sugarcane estate… Read More »

U.S. commodities trader Bunge Ltd and British energy company BP Plc said on Monday they will merge their Brazilian sugar and ethanol operations to create the world’s third-largest sugarcane processor. The joint venture is the largest deal in Brazil’s bioenergy sector since Royal Dutch Shell joined forces with Cosan to form industry leader Raízen in… Read More »

Indian authorities are standing firm against international pressure to remove a subsidy on its sugar exports. The Commonwealth government is pursuing a dispute with the World Trade Organisation, claiming India’s policy has caused the price of sugar to plummet. The WTO met in Geneva last night, where India had a chance to reject moves from… Read More »

The sugarcane farmers have served an ultimatum on the government to clarify its stand within eight days on the closure of Sanjeevani Sugar Factory, failing which, they have threatened to stage street protests. A resolution to this effect was adopted by the Gomantak Sugarcane Producing Farmers Association at a meeting held at Dharbaandora, on Saturday.… Read More »

US ethanol plants are expected to sharply curtail production in the weeks ahead as steep Midwest corn prices and the US-China trade war have led to weak margins and oversupply, industry sources said. Margins to produce ethanol in the Corn Belt — where most US production takes place — have fallen to a four-year seasonal… Read More »