Sugar insights

(Jeonju=Yonhap News) Reporter Kim Jin-bang = The Rural Development Administration announced on the 25th that a study on domestic sweet potato varieties has confirmed that the shoots and leaves can be utilized as functional food ingredients. The caffeoylquinic acid contained in the above-ground parts of sweet potato, such as young shoots, leaves, and stems, is a polyphenol component that helps with antioxidant and blood sugar regulation and is commonly found in plants such as coffee and artichokes. The National Institute of Crop Science, Rural Development Administration, analyzed the caffeoylquinic acid content in the above-ground parts of six domestic sweet potato varieties after field cultivation. The results showed significant differences depending on the variety and part, but overall, high levels were found in young shoots and leaves. In particular, some varieties of young shoots and leaves were found to contain levels of caffeoylquinic acid similar to artichokes (1,000 to 3,500 mg/100g). The 'Haeunmi' variety was found to contain 3,600 mg of caffeoylquinic acid per 100g in young shoots and 2,300 mg in leaves. 'Tongchaeru', a leaf vegetable variety, was found to contain 1,493 mg of caffeoylquinic acid in young shoots. This study confirmed that all sweet potatoes, regardless of variety, contain abundant components in young shoots and leaves that help with antioxidant and blood sugar regulation. Han Sun-kyung, Director of the Crop Science Institute at the Rural Development Administration, said, "This study confirmed that sweet potato shoots and leaves have a high potential for use as functional food ingredients" and "In the future, we will develop various uses for the above-ground parts of sweet potatoes and expand the distribution of dedicated varieties to broaden their use."

The National Food Agency ensures a budget of Rp1.5 trillion to absorb farmers' sugar, maintaining price stability according to the Basic Food Expenditure (HAP).

By Leandro Silveira São Paulo, 08/22/2025 - Datagro Financial and Milenio Capital have structured a Credit Rights Investment Fund (FIDC) to directly finance the sugarcane suppliers of the Bevap Sugar Mill, located in João Pinheiro (MG), Datagro informed in a statement. The operation had its first tranche released, in the amount of R$ 21 million, intended for the financing of the planting and maintenance of crops of suppliers with active contracts. The model provides for new disbursements and was designed to be scalable and replicable in other sugar mills. According to the partner of Datagro Financial, Carolina Troster, the structure allows producers access to long-term capital, backed by supply contracts, in addition to strengthening the Bevap supply chain. "It allows the mill to strengthen its supply chain without compromising its investment capacity," she stated in the note. In this FIDC, the rural producer figures as the direct borrower of the financing, and not the mill, based ...