Panela Quality Award 2026: Recognizing Excellence in the Colombian Panela Industry

• As part of the commemoration of the 40th anniversary of the Cimpa headquarters, AGROSAVIA announces the launch of the Grand Panela Quality Award 2026. This competition recognizes the work of panela producers across the country by promoting excellence in processing practices and the agro-industrial quality of this traditional sweetener.

 

Barbosa, Santander. May 08, 2026. Corporación colombiana de investigación agropecuaria (AGROSAVIA), through its Cimpa headquarters located in Barbosa, Santander, is proud to announce the Grand Panela Quality Award 2026, whose main objective is to highlight and reward panela producers in Colombia who stand out for the quality and safety of their product, in accordance with current regulations and the technical criteria established by the institution, supported by its extensive experience in the panela agroindustry.

The Grand Panela Quality Award will recognize the top ten (10) entries by awarding in-kind prizes to promote the continuous improvement of production processes and strengthen the panela value chain. These incentives include, among others: (1) biological control schemes for the management of Diatraea spp. (sugarcane borer), (2) fertilizers, (3) motorized spraying equipment, (4) panela production equipment —such as stainless steel filters, trays, and a special serving spoon called remellón, as well as kits for the preparation of flocculants— and (5) laboratory services.

This initiative, framed within the celebration of the 40th anniversary of the Cimpa headquarters, ascribed to the Tibaitatá Research Center, pays tribute to the country’s panela-making tradition, consolidated over time through the coordinated efforts of producers, associations, academic institutions, public and private entities, as well as through the generation of science, technology, and knowledge led by AGROSAVIA.

With the participation of molded and granulated panela producers, this initiative will be carried out in three phases, during which key parameters to ensure product quality will be evaluated.

The panela samples will be analyzed in AGROSAVIA’s specialized laboratories —located at the Cimpa headquarters and at the Tibaitatá and La Libertad Research Centers— recognized for their technical rigor and scientific capacity. Additionally, the process will be supported by highly prestigious external laboratories, such as CROM-MASS at Universidad Industrial de Santander, to guarantee the reliability and robustness of the results.

The competition is open to panela producers nationwide who meet the requirements set out in the terms of reference. To participate, interested applicants must complete their registration before June 30, 2026, and submit their samples no later than July 15, 2026.

The Grand Panela Quality Award 2026 highlights the history and territorial heritage embodied in every panela product, celebrating the technological evolution and the work of a subsector that integrates science, productive tradition, and agro-industrial quality.

AGROSAVIA invites all panela producers to join this initiative and extends its gratitude to the sponsoring organizations involved, reaffirming its commitment to rural development and the quality of Colombian products.

To complete the registration process, interested participants must send an email to xlopez@agrosavia.co

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE TERMS AND CONDITIONS, AS WELL AS THE COMPLETE LIST OF PRIZES.

CLICK HERE TO VIEW THE ANNEX: EVALUATION PARAMETERS.