Sugar cane and Rum Route of Madeira
Sugar Cane and Rum Route of Madeira - The Island of Madeira
Sugar cane is an agricultural product cultivated in Madeira since its colonization and which contributed for the exponential economic, social and cultural development of the island and of the then kingdom of Portugal, through the exports of one of its by-products – the sugar.
By order of Prince Henry, the Navigator, in the first quarter of the 15th century, the first sugar cane stalks (Saccharum officinarum), from Sicily, reached Madeira.
The sugar economy brought great wealth to the producing families, who displayed their wealth by building stone houses covered with clay tiles, therefore creating the first “Quintas” of Madeira.
Sugar Cane Production
Sugar cane is a plant belonging to the Gramineae family and to the Saccharum L type, comprising at least six species; however, the one with a greater agronomic use is, certainly, Saccharum officinarum L.
The plantations of sugar cane are as ancient as the first steps taken by men in the transformation of Madeira’s landscape. Currently, from the harvest and extraction process, two products are essentially produced: the aguardente or agricultural rum and the sugar cane honey.
In the research projects carried out since 2013, the brand Terramiga developed several cosmetic products using the residues from the sugar cane straw, which was traditionally used as a bed for goats and bovine cattle or in the fertilization of the agricultural land.
“Madeiran Rum” is an agricultural rum which results from the perfect combination of natural and human factors, allied with a secular “know how”, which grant unique and distinct characteristics to this product.
Events connected to Sugar Cane
Consult the listing of events related to the Madeira Sugarcane Route.
