Ripening and maturation phase in a twelve-month crop lasts for about three months starting from 270-360 days.

Sugar synthesis and rapid accumulation of sugar takes place during this phase and vegetative growth is reduced.

As ripening advances, simple sugars (monosaccharide viz., fructose and glucose) are converted into cane sugar (sucrose, a disaccharide).

Cane ripening proceeds from bottom to the top and hence bottom portion contains more sugars than the top portions.

Ample sunshine, clear skies cool nights and warm days (i.e., more diurnal variation in temperature) and dry weather are highly conducive for ripening.