Worldwide

Humankind’s first encounter with sugar dates back thousands of years, to India and China. In antiquity, sugar was referred to by the Greeks and Romans as “Indian Salt” and “Asian Honey.” In the 6th century, following the Persians’ conquest of India, and later in the 7th century with the Arab conquest of Persian lands, sugar began to spread across wider regions. The Arabs learned sugar production techniques from the Persians and, as their empire expanded, they introduced sugar production to various regions—most notably North Africa and Spain. In this way, sugar entered Europe during the Middle Ages.

Until the 18th century, sugar was obtained exclusively from sugarcane and was considered a luxury product—a symbol of refinement and wealth—served alongside coffee and tea. At times, it was even used in the treatment of illnesses. However, as sugarcane cultivation spread globally and production costs decreased, sugar shifted from being a luxury item to becoming a staple food.

This transformation accelerated in the 18th century when the Germans pioneered the production of sugar from sugar beets. Since then, global sugar production has grown even faster than the world population. While annual production was around 800,000 tons in 1830, according to Türkşeker’s 2010 industry report, today it has reached approximately 155 million tons per year.

In Turkey

The first concrete and successful step in sugar production in Turkey was taken in 1925 through the initiatives of Nuri Şeker from Uşak. Around the same time, the foundation of the Alpullu Sugar Factory was laid, and by 1926 it began production, becoming the first to produce domestic sugar. This success paved the way for a rapid increase in the number of sugar factories across the country.

Today, there are a total of 33 sugar factories in operation: 25 owned by Türkiye Şeker Fabrikaları A.Ş. and its subsidiaries, and 8 privately owned (6 of which are under Pankobirlik).

According to the Five-Year Development Plan data, as of 2001, Turkey’s annual production capacity for granulated sugar was 2,250,000 tons. During the 2010/2011 period, both public and private factories operated at full capacity. Currently, 65% of this capacity belongs to the public sector, and production exceeds domestic demand by approximately 12.5%. The annual production capacity of sugar cubes is 594,000 tons—nearly six times the domestic demand.

How Is Sugar Produced?

Granulated Sugar Production

Granulated sugar can be obtained from both sugarcane and sugar beets. In sugarcane processing, the harvested cane, stripped of its leaves, is washed, finely chopped, and crushed between rollers. During crushing, water is sprayed to extract raw sugar juice. This juice undergoes purification and filtration processes, ultimately crystallizing into granulated sugar.

In sugar beet processing, the juice extracted from the beets is subjected to filtration and evaporation. As the juice crystallizes, granulated sugar is formed. Depending on the quality of the beets used, an average of 7–8 kilograms of beets yields 1 kilogram of granulated sugar.

Sugar Cube Production

Sugar cube production is also a meticulous process. Granulated sugar delivered to the factory in 50-kilogram sacks is first moistened with drinking water. This moisture allows the sugar crystals to bind together. The moistened sugar is then poured into molds on rotating drums and pressed into cubes. These cubes are dried in ovens until they completely lose their moisture. Once dried, they are packaged by robotic systems and made ready for sale.

One point worth emphasizing here is that sugar cubes are bound together only with water. The widespread belief that “sugar is glued with bone powder” is a myth with no scientific basis whatsoever.