Guatemala City, March 2026. The Association of Latin American Sugar Producers (UNALA), in collaboration with the Guatemalan Sugar Producers Association (Asazgua), held its 6th General Assembly on March 20, 2026, in Guatemala City. The event brought together representatives from leading sugarcane and sugar beet agro-industrial associations across Latin America to discuss the sector’s key challenges and opportunities.
Throughout the day, participants addressed strategic topics related to institutional development and strengthening, including the presentation of the 2025 Annual Report, which highlighted progress in strategic positioning, digital communication, and organizational management.
The agenda also featured presentations on innovation for growth in constrained market environments, delivered by Western States, as well as technological pathways for the production of sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), underscoring the potential of sugarcane to contribute to the energy transition.
One of the central moments of the Assembly was the election of UNALA’s Board of Directors for the 2026 term, composed as follows:
- Chair: Asazgua, Guatemala
- Executive Chair: Asazgua, Guatemala
- First Vice-Chair: Asocaña, Colombia
- Second Vice-Chair: UNICA, Brazil
- Third Vice-Chair: CNIAA, Mexico
- Secretary: LAICA, Costa Rica
- Treasurer: Perucaña, Peru
- Board Member I: CAEI, Dominican Republic
- Board Member II: DIZÚCAR, El Salvador
The creation of three new specialized vice presidencies—focused on communications, sustainability, and renewable energy—marks a significant step in UNALA’s institutional evolution, aligning its governance structure with the sector’s current strategic priorities.
The 2026 General Assembly reaffirms UNALA’s and its members’ commitment to strengthening the regional agro-industry and promoting innovation as a key driver of competitiveness for Latin America’s sugar sector.
About UNALA
The Association of Latin American Sugar Producers (UNALA) brings together the sugarcane and sugar beet agro-industry across Latin America. The initiative to establish UNALA emerged in 2017 in response to the need for a coordinated regional voice to address the sector’s challenges. Today, UNALA is composed of organizations from 14 countries and works closely
with its members to promote practices that enhance the sustainability of the regional agro-industry.
About Asazgua
The Guatemalan Sugar Producers Association (Asazgua) was founded in 1957. It is a trade association representing the country’s sugarcane mills. Asazgua promotes the implementation of sustainable environmental practices through research and development, supports community development through social programs, and advocates for decent working conditions across the sugarcane sector and its value chain.