Sugarcane processing permits a choice, usually between Vacuum and Open Pan technologies. A comparison of the two reveals the superiority of the Vacuum Pan technology in technical and economic efficiency over the Open Pan technology. Despite this superiority, certain conditions inherent in both technologies and in developing countries themselves point to the greater appropriateness of the Open Pan technology than that of the Vacuum Pan in developing countries. Some of these conditions were identified and examined in this paper. Developing countries could benefit more from the open pan technology.