Trials And Tribulations Of Canning Sugarcane Juice

People in India savour freshly extracted sugarcane juice dispensed with lime and ginger extract, served in glasses by vendors across the country. However, due to its highly perishable nature, it cannot be preserved beyond a few hours, which has restricted the availability of canned sugarcane juice in India. There are companies and institutions supplying it, albeit with a short shelf-life.

- Arachika Kapoor

The range of Indian foods and fruits is as rich and diverse as its culture and history. There are drinks for each season and every reason. For bearing the summer heat, which has only become more severe over the decades, Indians have a variety of beverages – from a raw mango drink to a yogurt based one. Similarly, to keep warm in the winters, the options are equally diverse. Many of these drinks continue to be popular, consumed in rural, semi-urban and urban areas of the country alike. One such drink is sugarcane juice.

Freshly extracted sugarcane juice has a high demand in every Indian locale and vendors selling the juice can be found everywhere. The juice is presently being extracted using hand/power-operated crushers for immediate consumption, because of its highly perishable nature. Although people in India prefer it fresh, there is also a demand for canned options.

A traditional Indian beverage, sugarcane juice contains natural sugars and minerals like iron, magnesium, phosphorous, calcium and organic acids like malic acid, succinic acid, acotinic acid, amino acid, protein, starch, and non-sugar phosphates. Apart from the benefits of fresh juices, the demand for organic, local, and natural products has led to Indian ventures like Paper Boat supplying local juice flavours like Aamras, Jaljeera, Anar, Jamun and Aam panna.

However, the consumption of sugarcane juice is increasing not only in India, but also in various other countries, highlighting good export potential and marketability of the product. In India, there are a number of units engaged in preparation of different types of juices and while many entrepreneurs have tried to cash-in on the popularity of sugarcane juice in India, they managed to preserve the drink only for a limited number of days.