Cumanacoa commune member works on molasses production. Photo: Últimas Noticias.
In the commune Las Cinco Fortalezas de la Revolución Bolivariana in Cumanacoa, Sucre state, the cultivation of cane and the production of cane blocks (panela) represent the economic strength of the region, known as the sweet land of eastern Venezuela.
In this commune, with a population of 1,216 inhabitants belonging to 474 families and five communities, the processing and production of sugarcane is carried out by the Trapiche Direct Communal Socialist Company.
Two derivative products are processed in this place: cane block (panela) and cane molasses, explained Vanessa Pérez, spokesperson of the company.
She explained that per month the commune produces 16,000 kilos of cane blocks and 4,000 liters of pure molasses. She added that the Trapiche has a grinding capacity of 40 tons and cooking capacity of 10 tons per day.
In addition, 200 tons of cane are produced monthly that are then converted into these products by a group of commune members and producers committed to the cultivation and processing of sugarcane.
“Here is the people of a commune who are always working to improve production, supply, and economic growth,” Pérez said.
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Distribution and marketing
Pérez explained that the majority of the harvest, approximately 60%, is supplied nationally while the rest is used to supply the local market and the 4,200 communal wineries throughout the country.
Through a sowing plan launched by the national government on January 20, the distribution and marketing of this item is strengthened for the benefit of the more than 474 families that belong to the commune.
According to Pérez, this project, which is part of the productive chain policies, will increase production and leverage economic development in the area.
This strategy constitutes of the integration of local farmers under a direct financing scheme, which ensures that the processed raw materials meet optimal quality standards intended for the mass consumption of the people.
She said that the cane blocks will be supplied through the Bodega Plan, which means that this product made with love, with history and a lot of struggle, will reach every Venezuelan home at fair prices.
“We feel proud because we continue to lead the communal economic system,” she said.
(Últimas Noticias) by Olimar Salazar Guevara
Translation: Orinoco Tribune
OT/CB/SC
Cameron Baillie is an award-winning journalist, editor, and researcher. He won and was shortlisted for awards across Britain and Ireland. He is Editor-in-Chief of New Sociological Perspectives graduate journal and Commissioning Editor at The Student Intifada newsletter. He spent the first half of 2025 living, working, and writing in Ecuador. He does news translation and proofreading work with The Orinoco Tribune.
