Tucumán sugar harvest slowed by heavy rainfall

Heavy rainfall in Tucumán has disrupted the 2026 sugar harvest (zafra), significantly reducing industrial activity. Due to adverse weather and deteriorated rural roads that prevent heavy machinery from reaching fields, only a fraction of the province's fourteen sugar mills are currently operational. As of mid-October, mills such as La Providencia, La Florida, Cruz Alta, Aguilares, Famaillá, and Concepción have maintained operations, while others are utilizing the forced interruptions for equipment maintenance.

Despite these weather-related setbacks, the campaign has reached a 76% progress rate relative to the estimated 19.65 million tons of cane. Data from the Instituto de Promoción del Azúcar y Alcohol (Ipaat) indicates that approximately 14.99 million tons of raw cane have been milled, resulting in the production of over 1.16 million tons of sugar. The campaign also continues to produce significant volumes of hydrated and anhydrous alcohol for biofuel use. In the neighboring provinces of Salta and Jujuy, the harvest has reached an 84% progress rate.