Nostalgia, Tico Style, #2 – Doka Estate, San Luis de Sabanilla, Alajuela Province, Costa Rica

Sufficient rainfall, moderately warm temperatures, and rich soil fed by numerous volcanoes help make Costa Rica ideal for growing a large number of agricultural products including vegetables, fruits, flowers, coffee, and sugar cane. Indeed, according to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, sugar cane is the country’s sixth most valuable crop in dollar terms. (By contrast, coffee ranks seventh.)

Recently Costa Rican farmers have started to use rice-farming land for growing sugar cane, although the number of hectares switching to sugar cane is still rather small. In general, there seems to be fewer problems associated with growing and harvesting Costa Rican sugar cane, as compared to rice, which has been subject to insect infestation and climate problems.

There are many uses for Costa Rica sugar cane crops. The majority of sugar cane produced in Costa Rica is used for granulated sugars and sweet cooking ingredients. Rum and other alcoholic beverages like Guaro (the national liquor/ drink of Costa Rica) are also made from sugar cane. People of all ages can enjoy the popular sugar cane based beverage Agua Dulce (which means sweet water). This sweet water is made by boiling sugar cane juice. Sugar cane also has practical uses such as being burned for heat. The versatile and sturdy sugar can stalk can be used in cardboards and rough paper.

Another primary use for Costa Rica sugar cane is ethanol production. Many other countries rely on burning corn as their primary ethanol ingredient; ethanol produced in Costa Rica comes from burning sugar cane. The sugar fermentation process produces ethanol, a fuel that is later blended with refined gasoline to provide better combustion and a higher octane. The process of adding ethanol to gasoline has many benefits including conserving gasoline and being better for the environment.