Divisi
When to plant Sugarcane in Cuilo
Lunda Norte, Angola
Known here as cana-de-açúcar
Sugarcane is a tall, thick, sweet grass grown for the sugar it stores in its stalks.
| Measure | Rain-fed | With irrigation |
|---|---|---|
| Fit | Favourable | |
| When to plant (establish) | 22 Aug 2027 – 11 Sep 2027 opens in 46 weeks | 21 Jan 2026 – 1 Jan 2027 |
| Expected harvest | about 41.9 t/ha | about 77.9 t/ha |
| Bearing cycle | 360–540 days per crop once the plant is established. Planting to the first harvest takes longer than one cycle. | |
| Work it takes | 150–315 days per hectare, by hand | |
| Rain meets its needs | 70% | |
Rain-fed. These dates are worked out from each place's own rainfall, for a field watered by the season — with irrigation a window can open earlier, close later, or come round more than once a year. Check your own field under What grows, or get the Divisi app for a calendar dated to your farm.
If you only get one chance to plant, aim for around 22 Aug 2027. That is the point in the window where the rains are most reliably established.
This season's outlook for Cuilo leans wet. Plant at the early end of the window, and make sure water can drain off the field — a wet year does more damage through waterlogging than through the rain itself.
Planting after 11 Sep 2027 leaves the crop short of season: it runs into the dry months before it has finished filling.
What decides this in Cuilo
| Rain and temperature | 88% |
|---|---|
| The soil | 76% |
| The lie of the land | 88% |
For sugarcane in Cuilo, the soil is the tightest of the three at 76%. This is the one you can actually move. Lime raises a sour soil, manure and compost lift what it holds, and both work within a season or two — money spent here changes the answer.
The 2026/27 season in Cuilo
| Rainy seasons | One each year — one chance to plant, so timing carries it |
|---|---|
| When the rains are expected | September 2026 to May 2027 |
| Rain in a typical year | About 1,308 mm |
| This season's rain | Leaning wet — January, February, October, November and December look heavier than usual. Make sure water can drain off the field; a wet year does more damage through waterlogging and disease than through the rain itself. |
| This season's heat | Hotter than usual — about +1.3 °C over the growing months. Heat makes the same rain do less, so a dry spell bites sooner: do not plant late, and shade or mulch what you can. |
| What that supports | enough rain for one full main crop, warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season |
| Ground this covers | 2 kinds of ground. The season below is the largest that farms — about 63% of this area. |
| 63% | enough rain for one full main crop; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 265 growing days · about 1,320 mm · September to May |
|---|---|
| 37% | enough rain for a long crop, or two in a year; warm all year, so nothing but rain ends the season 273 growing days · about 1,370 mm · August to May |
last updated 16 September 2026
What sugarcane needs to grow here
| Soil it likes | loam or clay loam |
|---|---|
| Soil sourness (pH) | Happiest between pH 6.0 and 7.5 |
| Rain it needs | About 1,500–2,000 mm across the season |
| Feed it most with | nitrogen and potassium |
What it takes to grow sugarcane in Cuilo
| Planting material | About 28,000 plants per hectare |
|---|---|
| Nitrogen (N) | About 59 kg per hectare |
| Phosphate (P₂O₅) | About 23 kg per hectare |
| Potash (K₂O) | About 132 kg per hectare |
| In the shops | A basal compound at planting — Compound D, or an NPK blend — covers the phosphate and potash. A nitrogen top dressing — urea or AN — goes on once the crop is established. |
| Hand work | 150–315 days per hectare, by hand |
These are the nutrients a sugarcane crop of that size carries off the field. What you actually apply depends on what your soil already holds — which is what a soil test, or the app's field records, tell you.
What to watch for
Grow Sugarcane with a plan, not a guess
Everything above describes Cuilo as a whole — your own soil, slope and rainfall will shift the dates. The Divisi app works them out for your field, and dates each job that follows.
Sugarcane in nearby districts
This calendar moves
Planting windows shift with the forecast. Leave your email and we'll send what changed, and a note when planting time nears — a couple of emails a month at most.
Frequently asked questions
Will sugarcane grow well in Cuilo?
Cuilo rates as favourable for sugarcane.
When should I plant sugarcane in Cuilo?
Typically 22 Aug 2027 to 11 Sep 2027, forecast-adjusted.
Is this exact for my own field?
No — these are readings taken across Cuilo, not on your field. Soil, slope and rainfall change from one farm to the next. Check your own location to see your own numbers.
