This article analyzes the consequences of imperial policies focused on the development of central sugar mills in the province of Minas Gerais. By examining documents related to the Engenho Central de Aracaty Company, we hope to show that despite its location in a secondary area of sugar production, the mill was characterized by a certain dynamism, largely because it catered to regional consumption. The Engenho Central de Aracaty Company was established in the city of Leopoldina and worked as a central sugar mill until 1888.
sugar; central sugar mills; modernization