What is a Sugarcane Plantation?

Sugarcane refers to any of 6 to 37 species of plants that lives more than 2 years of the genus "Saccharum". Sugarcane cultivation requires a tropical or temperate climate, with a minimum of 60 cm of annual moisture. It is one of the most efficient photosynthesizers in the plant kingdom.

Currently, Brazil has about 22 million acres (34375 square miles) of cane plantations, which makes it both the world's large producer of sugar and cane ethanol, but the country expects to expand it by 15million acres (60 702 846 336 m2) over the next decade to meet rising demand for biofuels.
Examples of products of Sugarcane are:
-cachaça (the national spirit of Brazil)
-Table Sugar
-Ethanol.


Sugarcane-based ethanol is used widely in Brazil, accounting for more than 20 percent of Brazil's transport fuel market.
However, Brazil will be restricting sugarcane plantations for ethanol production from the Amazon, the Pantanal, and other ecologically-sensitive areas under a plan announced on 18 September 2011 by President Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva's administration, reports the Associated Press. Sugarcane plantations will be limited to 7.5% of Brazil's land.
Some researchers have also argued that sugarcane expansion has displaced ranchers and small farmers to ecologically sensitive regions, including the Amazon, resulting in deforestation and forest degradation.