A presentation at the meeting of the World Association of Beet and Cane Growers (WABCG) and International Sugar Organization (ISO) in November 2012 by representatives of the Mauritian sugar company Omnicane implicitly highlighted the importance of both getting ahead of the policy making process in major markets such as the EU and staying on top of technical innovation within the sector. The presentation highlights how the process of restructuring the Mauritian sugar industry substantially pre-dated the implementation of EU sugar sector reforms. As early as 1999, the Mauritian sugar sector introduced its first high pressure power plant for the co-generation of electricity, and in 2,000 began the process of mill restructuring.
The Mauritian restructuring process involved the closure of 8 sugar mills and the centralisation of crushing operations, the introduction of a voluntary retirement scheme for some 15,000 workers and staff, and the regrouping of small growers into group farming schemes. These initial efforts were then consolidated into a Multi-Annual Adaptation Strategy Action Plan 2006–2015, which was a prerequisite for the efficient mobilisation of EU sugar protocol accompanying measures support. The adaptation strategy included developing plans for the full exploitation of the value-added potential of sugar cane, which embraced:

• co-generation of electricity for both own use and commercial sale;
• a shift to refined and speciality sugar production;
• the development of bio-ethanol and bio-gas production;
• the production of liquid fertilisers and ‘green’ cement, as well as improved water management.

The Mauritian experience highlights the scope for tapping into the full revenue potential of sugar cane production. In addition to producing 200,000 tonnes of refined sugar for export to EU, including a range of speciality sugars, the Mauritian sugar sector aims to produce:

• 180 GW renewable energy for own use and distribution across the grid;
• 25 million litres of bio-ethanol;
• 8,500 tonnes of food-grade CO2;
• 75,000 tonnes of liquid fertilisers;
• 760,000 tonnes of process steam;
• 10 MW bio-gas;
• an unspecified amount of green cement;
• a range of value-added products from rum, through chemical and pharmaceutical products, to value-added sweets and chocolates.

Omnicane aims to have zero wastage from the cane produced, and to move as far up the value chain as possible.