The panela, a pillar of Colombian rural life

In Colombia, panela is much more than a sweetener: it’s an integral part of cultural identity and daily life. Handcrafted from the juice of sugar cane, this natural product has accompanied rural and urban communities for centuries, becoming a symbol of tradition, collective work and authentic flavor.

Found in every corner of the country, panela is enjoyed in hot drinks such as the popular aguapanela, in typical desserts and even in street food. Beyond its gastronomic uses, panela is an essential economic engine for thousands of farming families, who perpetuate this know-how in the trapiches, small mills where it is produced using methods handed down from generation to generation.

But did you know that panela is not only produced in Colombia, or even only in Latin America? Here’s a little insight into this tasty product and its major role in our beloved Colombia.

What is panela?

Panela is a natural product obtained from unrefined sugarcane juice. It is also known as rapadura, chancaca or piloncillo, depending on the country.

Panela is derived from sugarcane, a plant introduced to America in the XVIᵉ century by the Spanish and Portuguese. Originating inAsia via the Canary Islands, sugar cane quickly acclimatized in the tropical valleys of Latin America. Local populations then developed simple, artisanal techniques to transform its juice into a solid product that was easy to store and transport. This is how panela was born.

For centuries, panela was the main source of sugar for rural communities. Its manufacture, carried out in small mills called trapiches, often brought together families and neighbors. Much more than a simple foodstuff, panela also played an economic and social role. In some regions, it was used as a currency of exchange, and as an energy reserve for workers in the fields and mines.

Latin America is not the only region to produce panela.South Asia, the cradle of sugarcane, actually dominates global production.India accounts for around 70% of global jaggery production, followed by Latin American countries such as Colombia, Mexico, Brazil, Venezuela, Peru and Ecuador. Other countries, including Bangladesh, Pakistan, Sri Lanka and parts of Africa, also consume this unrefined sugar derived from sugar cane.

In Colombia, panela has acquired a special symbolic value. It is still consumed by the majority of households, for example in the form ofaguapanelaa hot or cold drink made by dissolving panela in water, sometimes with lemon juice. Some regions, such as Santander, Boyacá and Cundinamarca, have become major production centers, where its cultivation and processing are deeply rooted in peasant traditions.

Over time, panela production has been partly modernized, particularly in the XXᵉ century. However, it remains closely linked to artisan skills and community life. Today, it is recognized as a heritage food, defended by peasant movements and valued within fair trade circuits. Panela is therefore not just a natural sweetener: it also embodies the history of a product that links agriculture, culture and identity in Latin America.

The history of panela in Colombia is not just agricultural and cultural: it’s also political and social. For decades, panela producers – often small farmers working in trapiches – have been at the heart of economic and community struggles.

From the second half of the XXᵉ century onwards, panela represented an alternative to refined sugar, but this competition led to strong tensions. Large sugar producers, supported by public policies, often dominated the market, to the detriment of small farmers who made their living exclusively from panela. Faced with this situation, numerous peasant movements organized to defend artisanal production, demand better prices and protest against foreign sugar imports.

Traditional manufacturing in trapiches

Both panela and refined sugar come from sugar cane, but their processing and properties differ greatly:

The work begins in the fields: the cane is harvested by hand when ripe, and transported to the trapiche (often by cart or truck). In many regions, harvesting is seasonal, and is organized as a collective day: families and neighbors take part in the cutting to take advantage of the plant’s optimal moment. The cane must reach the trapiche as fresh as possible to obtain good-quality juice.

At the trapiche (also known as moliendas), the cane passes through the mill or “juicero” – traditionally a set of rollers powered by animal, mechanical or motor traction – which presses the cane and separates the bagasse (dry fiber). The resulting juice is collected in tanks or channels and coarsely filtered to remove large impurities (pieces of fiber, earth). The bagasse is not thrown away: it is generally used as fuel for boilers or as a covering/fertilizer material, making the process energy-efficient on a small scale.

The next step is cooking. The juice is poured into large pots or pailas and boiled over high heat to evaporate the water. As it boils, the liquid concentrates and takes on the color and taste of molasses. The cook or “galerón” must remove the scum and impurities that rise to the surface, and control the temperature and cooking point; this is a job for the experienced, as the final consistency – neither too liquid nor too crystallized – will determine the texture of the panela.

When the product reaches the desired consistency, the “punto” is made, and the hot mass is poured into molds: these may be cylindrical, conical (piloncillo) or rectangular, depending on local tradition. In some regions, the molds are made of wood, in others of metal; sometimes they are greased with oil to facilitate removal from the mold. Once the mass has been poured, the molds are left to cool and harden; as they harden, they are removed from the mold to produce the characteristic loaves or blocks.

The final phase is drying and packaging. The pieces rest for a few hours or days to lose moisture, then they are cleaned and packaged for sale or family consumption. In many communities, the work doesn’t stop with the trapiche: selling, bartering and storage are also part of the local panela economy.

Panela in the daily life of Colombians

Panela (unrefined cane sugar, solidified into loaves) is not just an ingredient: it’s a true cultural marker in Colombia – present in homes, street shops and rural supply chains.

Estimates vary according to source and period: studies and official reports give orders of magnitude of between 24 kg and 30 kg of panela per person per year, though the general trend shows a decline in the average consumer over recent decades (shift towards refined sugars and price fluctuations). Concretely, recent reports give estimates around 21-24 kg/person/year, for example, while other government or older sources quote higher figures (≈30 kg).

Popular drinks and preparations

• Aguapanela – Colombia’s most emblematic drink: panela is melted in hot water to warm up, or chilled with lemon to refresh. Common variations: with ginger (good against colds), with cinnamon, or mixed with milk (“panela milk”).
• Fermented or modern drinks – panela is also used in juices, lemonades, artisanal syrups and cocktails (artisanal bars and cafés use it as a natural sweetener).
• Coffee: panela is also used to sweeten coffee.

In the kitchen: sweet and savoury

Panela is not only used in beverages, but also occupies a prominent place in many recipes, both sweet and savory, and its use bears witness to a culinary tradition deeply rooted in everyday life.

In the sweet world, it’s the star ingredient in natilla, a thick corn cream made at Christmas and served with buñuelos, as well as in bocadillo veleño, a guava paste cooked with panela and often eaten with fromage frais. It also adds a caramelized touch toarequipe (milk jam), and is used to make sweets such as dulce de papaya verde, where pieces of green papaya are candied for a long time in a cinnamon-scented syrup. On the street, it can be found in the form of melcocha, a traditional confection made by pulling the melted panela into an elastic paste that hardens as it cools. These preparations illustrate its role as a natural sweetener which, in addition to sweetening, adds depth, amber color and a singular flavor to desserts.

On the savory side, panela plays a more discreet but equally interesting role.Arroz de coco, one of the most emblematic dishes of the Colombian Caribbean coast, is rice cooked in coconut milk, to which panela is added to give it a sweet caramelized flavor and a characteristic golden color. In some regions, panela is added to sancocho, a hearty soup made with meat, plantain and tubers, to soften and round out the flavors. Pork also benefits from this alliance: in cerdo en salsa de panela, the meat is braised in a rich sauce combining panela, spices and sometimes a touch of citrus, creating a harmonious contrast between sweetness and acidity. Pollo a la panela, marinated with orange juice, spices and pieces of panela, then roasted, is another tasty variation. Even simpler preparations such as arepas de chócolo, slightly sweetened soft corn cakes, can be served with a drizzle of panela syrup, while some variants of chicharrón use panela to caramelize the surface of the fried pork.

An economic and social pillar

According to a 2019 study by the Colombian Ministry of Agriculture, the panela sub-sector is the country’s second most socially important agro-industry after coffee, with 220,000 hectares under cultivation. More than 350,000 families are involved, generating 287,000 direct jobs, equivalent to 45 million working days a year, representing 12% of the economically active rural population.

Sugar cane for panela production is grown in 511 municipalities in 28 departments, 164 of which have a FEDEPANELA Municipal Committee. There are 70,000 production units and 20,000 trapiches, with 90% of production concentrated in 164 municipalities, producing 1,200,000 tonnes of panela annually.

99 % de la production est destinée au marché intérieur, tandis que le 1 % restant est exporté. Historically, the USA has been the main trading partner; however, between 2017 and 2018, Spain increased its imports, almost approaching the level of the USA, and other European countries have shown a growing preference for the unique taste and aroma of Colombian panela.

Analysis of Colombian panela export data for 2019 shows that the United States and Spain are the main markets, together accounting for over 70% of total exports. Exports to the United States remained stable, rising from 3,063 tonnes in 2018 to 3,171 tonnes in 2019, while those to Spain saw a significant increase, from 2,489 to 2,812 tonnes, reflecting growing interest in the product in this European country. Among other destinations,Italy recorded the strongest relative growth, almost doubling its imports from 249 to 544 tonnes, while France and South Korea saw their volumes decline. The rest of the world, including emerging markets, also saw significant growth, rising from 281 to 528 tonnes, suggesting a gradual broadening of the international reach of Colombian panela.

The panela and the traveler in Colombia

For the curious traveler, panela is not just a product to be tasted, but a true cultural experience. A visit to a trapiche, the artisanal mills where sugar cane is pressed and transformed into panela, reveals the traditional methods still used by many rural families. Visitors can observe the entire process, from cutting the cane to molding the panela loaves, often accompanied by demonstrations of local sweets and tastings.

Just like coffee fincas, some trapiches open their doors to travelers to showcase traditional panela production. This tour allows visitors to discover artisanal trapiches, where sugar cane is harvested and processed according to ancestral methods, and to witness all stages of production, from the extraction of the cane juice to the formation of the panela loaves.

This type of experience also offers the opportunity to meet local producers, taste by-products such as aguapanela, sweets or jams, and understand the social and economic importance of this sector for rural communities. It is often combined with the discovery of the region’s typical landscapes and villages, offering an immersive experience that blends gastronomy, culture and nature.

And panela even has its own festival! The Festival Turístico y Reinado Nacional de la Panela, held annually in Villeta, Cundinamarca, celebrates the tradition and artisanal production of panela, an emblematic product of the region. For several days, visitors can watch colorful parades by candidates in the national “Miss Panela” competition, enjoy folklore shows and concerts, and learn about the manufacturing process by visiting local trapiches.

Here are some trapiches offering tours:

• Trapiche Los Abuelos (Villeta, Cundinamarca): Instagram – Whatsapp +57 320 2322526
• La Argelia (Jardín, Antioquia) : Instagram – Whatsapp +57 320 6560429
• Hacienda Charrascal (Manizales, Caldas) : Instagram – Whatsapp +57 321 9341619

Conclusion

In conclusion, panela goes far beyond its function as a sweetener: it is a true symbol of Colombian cultural and gastronomic identity. From home cooking to traditional celebrations, from artisanal trapiches to regional festivals, this natural product links past and present, while supporting the rural economy and local communities. Whether it’s tasting aguapanela, taking part in a panela tourist route, or discovering a festival like the one in Villeta, panela offers Colombians and travelers alike an authentic and tasty experience, perfectly illustrating the richness and diversity of Colombia’s heritage.

For our part, we’re big fans of panela. Caro, being Colombian, has been eating it since she was a child. As for me, I discovered this wonderful product during my stay in Colombia, and since then, refined sugar has completely disappeared from my diet, replaced by panela!