Responsible water management
Water is a vital resource for communities, producers and various industries. We actively participate in watershed protection and technical roundtables with local authorities and users, contributing to responsible and collaborative water management on the South Coast of Guatemala.
The mills use efficient irrigation systems to apply only the water needed to the plant. They have also implemented water recirculation systems in factories to reuse it, among other actions that save water.
40%
less water than the average sugar cane produced worldwide.
Transport of sugar cane
The cane is transported to factories under strict safety and maintenance regulations. 91% of the sugar cane is transported by private routes, only 9% is transported by public roads. Mills have built more than 2,000 kilometers of internal roads.
They comply with road safety measures, such as road and truck signaling, speed controls, signage and constant compliance verification by Asazgua inspectors.
91%
is transported by public roads.
Application of nutrients and maturants
Like other crops, sugar cane requires nutrients for growth. The mills perform precise applications of concentrators that retain sugar in the stem. Planning and analysis of the areas ensure that nutrients reach their destination without affecting areas outside of the crops.
Learn how we perform aerial applications:
Controlled cane burning
Cane is burned to avoid risks and facilitate cutting for workers, since green leaves hurt the skin and make it difficult to work. We have rigorous protocols to perform burning in a safe and controlled manner.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change -IPCC-, crops that are burned and re-planted have net zero CO₂ emissions since sugar cane absorbs this gas during its growth.
Learn more about this topic:
Criminal burns
Recently, there has been willful arson caused by malicious people, destroying everything in their path. Unfortunately, these acts have already resulted in the loss of lives, the destruction of homes in communities and serious damage to plantations.
These fires not only endanger lives and entire communities, but also constitute a crime which carries sentences of up to 8 years in prison.
Learn more: