Sugarcane: The Revolutionary Crop

Sugar cane is, without question, the crop that most profoundly transformed the Latin American landscape, replacing forests and savannahs with vast oceans of cane fields that still define much of our rural geography today.

The plant arrived in the Americas—first in the Caribbean—brought by Christopher Columbus from the Canary Islands, and shortly thereafter by the Portuguese to Brazil around 1525. Though its origins trace back to New Guinea, sugar cane found in American soil the ideal conditions to thrive, setting the stage for what would later be known as the “Sugar Revolution.”

Glass of "Guarapo" (sugarcane juice)

By the seventeenth century, the exchange of foods and ingredients between the New and Old Worlds had already reshaped European tastes. Beverages such as coffee and chocolate—both bitter by nature—made their way across the Atlantic, and when combined with the growing popularity of tea from Asia, they fueled an ever-increasing demand for refined sugar. Sweetness, once scarce, became indispensable.

In Panama, the history of sugar cane truly begins in 1560, when a local colonist named Francisco Gutiérrez requested the responsibility for maintaining the Camino de Cruces, on the condition that he be granted a monopoly over sugar production in the territory. Just three years later, by 1563, local markets were already supplied with sufficient quantities of miel de caña, or sugar cane honey.

Beyond its obvious role in the production of refined sugar, sugar cane has played a much broader and more enduring role in Panamanian culinary tradition. Its juice, known as guarapo, is the base for both miel de caña and raspadura—two sweeteners that remain in use throughout the country, either as alternatives to refined sugar or as essential ingredients in many traditional preparations.

Chichas (fruit drinks) made with lemon or orange and raspadura, golloría, cocadas, plátanos en tentación—these are just a few examples of how deeply embedded sugar cane is in our food culture. Guarapo itself is also the primary ingredient in Seco, Panama’s national liquor.

Artisanal Molds for Raspadura

Today, the province of Coclé stands out for its continued production of raspadura, where it remains a staple in sweets and everyday cooking. In the central provinces, miel de caña is more commonly found, widely used as a general sweetener and a trusted substitute for refined sugar—just as it has been for generations.