Top Sugar Cane Producing Countries

Sugar cane is primarily farmed in tropical and subtropical regions, with Brazil, India, China, Thailand, and Pakistan ranking as the top producers globally. The history of sugar cane cultivation dates back thousands of years, originating in Southeast Asia and the islands of the South Pacific. From there, it spread to India, where methods for extracting and crystallizing sugar were developed around 500 CE. Arab traders introduced sugar cane to the Mediterranean and North Africa, and it was later brought to the Americas by Christopher Columbus and other European explorers in the 15th and 16th centuries. The crop thrived in the warm climates of the Caribbean and South America, where it became central to the colonial plantation economy, often relying on enslaved labor. Today, Brazil leads the world in sugar cane production, using it not only for sugar but also as a key source of bioethanol fuel.

Data from United Nations FAO Stat