Types of Sugar Traded in India

Let’s first talk about different types of sugar. Most people will only be able to name two or three varieties of sugar, but dozens of varieties of sugar are traded in India. That said, sugar could be broadly categorized into the following two groups:

• Raw Sugar 

As everyone knows, sugar is derived from sugarcane. Raw sugar is a direct result of this process and may often have higher water content and other impure substances.

A traditional alternative to refined sugar is jaggery or gur, as it is called in India. Jaggery retains higher nutritional value as it may still have many nutrients.

Khandsari sugar is another popular variety of unrefined sugar traditionally used in India. It has a brownish colour due to the presence of molasses in it.

•   Refined Sugar

Refined sugar is raw sugar that has undergone further refinement for the removal of impurities. Unlike refined sugar, which is fluid, it takes for small white crystals. It is refined sugar that is traditionally used in most urban houses.

Refined sugar can be found in two chief varieties – brown and white. Brown sugar is one that has not been fully refined and thus may still have molasses content resulting in its brown colour (just like Khandsari sugar). It might result in a peculiar flavour.

Demerara sugar is another popular type of Indian partially refined cane sugar. It is characterized by yellowish crystals and finds applications in baking and beverages.

When it is fully refined, sugar takes the form of a sort of white sugar called white sugar. It is the purest form of sugar and the most commonly used type as well. White sugar can also be found in powdered form.

Apart from that, icing sugar is widely popular in the baking industry. Icing sugar is a combination of powdered white sugar and some cornstarch.

Other Aspects of Trading in Sugar

The following are some of the other aspects to consider when trading in sugar:

•   By-products

Sugar, as mentioned earlier, is derived from sugarcane juice which is a combination mainly of sugar and molasses, which are produced as a result of refinement. Molasses has a variety of uses in cooking, baking, and making a variety of industrial products, from ethanol to animal feed.

•   Quality of sugar

The quality of sugar you are trading must also be considered, and check whether you will need sugar with quality certifications. You may also want to consider whether sugar is organic or not – that is, whether it is produced from sugarcane grown without using synthetic fertilizers and pesticides.

•   Logistic considerations

Sugar can attract a lot of pests, and thus, various logistics factors like storage and transportation must also be duly considered.