ARS | Publication request: Can high quality cane be delivered to the mill economically

Submitted to: Sugar Bulletin
Publication Type: Trade Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: December 20, 2004
Publication Date: December 20, 2004
Citation: Viator, R.P., Richard Jr, E.P., Viator, B., Jackson, W., Waguespack, H., Birkett, H. 2004. Can high quality cane be delivered to the mill economically? Sugar Bulletin. 82:8-9.

Technical Abstract: Cane quality is becoming increasingly important to the Louisiana sugarcane industry, with some processors offering premiums for high quality cane. Using a Cameco® 3500, we tested ground speeds of 2.5, 3.0, and 3.5 mph and fan speeds of 650, 850, and 1050 rpm. Ground speed had no effect on cane yield or quality, regardless of the fan speed. Cane tonnage was reduced to 37.0 tons per acre for the 1050 rpm setting compared to 42.7 and 44.0 for the 850 and 650 settings. Furthermore, TRS for the 1050 setting was 240 compared to 220 and 210 for the 850 and 650 fan speed settings based on the new formula currently used in the industry. Cane yield and TRS balanced each other out in terms of sugar yield, with none of the treatments being significantly different as sugar yields ranged from 8500 to 9000 lbs per acre. An economic analysis was then conducted on this yield data based on LSU 2004 Projected Costs and Returns (Breaux and Salassi, 2004). The 1050 setting produced $28 and $40 more per acre than the 850 and 650 rpm setting under a custom-haul scenario. Under a direct-haul scenario, the 1050 setting produced $12 and $20 more per acre compared to the 850 and 650 setting. Basically at higher fan speeds, harvesting costs are reduced dramatically; it eliminates the added cost of harvesting an extra five to seven tons that has little sugar value.