Author: Michael Ferrari, PhD
VP, Applied Technology & Research
Most are aware, but occasionally I get asked the question: “why do you spend so much time focusing on the Indian sugarcane crop?” While Brazil is the world’s largest producer, India has made quite a dramatic push to become a dominant player in global sugar over the last couple of decades. As the chart below clearly shows (in total tonnage, not recoverable sugar), the 1980s/1990s saw India move from a (relatively) marginal producer to major producer and (in recent years) net exporter, and in the process leapfrogging over China. This growth also highlights the significance of the sweetener, both in terms of its importance to domestic and global commercial activity, as well as the fragility of the world agricultural markets when adverse weather disrupts production, as witnessed in 2009 when the failure of monsoon rains contributed to a drastic crop reduction vs. preseason expectations (not included on this graphic).
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(*source: FAOstat)
