Sugar cane cultivation was once a key factor on the Island’s development. This fortunate species was introduced by Henry, the Prince who ordered it from Sicily. After planting it, first in Funchal in Prince’s lands and then throughout the island, sugar cane sugar soon became the white gold on the external trade.

Today sugar cane is mainly produced in Ponta do Sol and due to the geography of the soils it is still a hard man work as it is not possible to use machines in such small and steep terrains.

From the 9th of April 2007 on, the 5 sugar cane processing factories of all over the island shall put into operation their machines to process sugar canes.

The traditional process for the crushing of sugar cane may be seen by the visitor, who may thus come into contact with one of the oldest agricultural techniques on Madeira, which originated the production of rum and also the production of honey from sugar cane, usually known as molasses but much sweeter and tastier.

During this month, around 6 thousand tons of sugar will be developed into rum or sugar cane honey most of it in Ribeiro Seco, Funchal, processing factory. The cane crushing shall take place continuously, 24 hours a day and 7 days a week. An interesting and important tourist attraction is the sugar cane mill in Calheta village which still makes use of the original crushing machines with about 200 years old and running on steam, which makes this factory the only one of its type in the country.