Abstract

The sugar industry, as an integral part of the food and agriculture sector, is facing a critical global challenge: to ensure access to safe, healthy and nutritious food for a growing world population, while at the same time using natural resources more sustainably with an effective contribution to climate change adaptation and mitigation. The economic success of sugar manufacturing depends to a large extent on the quality of the agricultural crop in use. Better agricultural yields and sugar content have been a major factor in improving productivity in the sugar industry. In this survey, the ISO presents data on agricultural statistics collected from 48 cane-growing and 33 beet growing countries. The collected sample covers the period of 15 years starting from 2001/02. In 2016, the surveyed countries were responsible for 99% of global cane sugar production and 97% of global beet sugar production.

The present survey identifies that cane yields in the recent past ranged from about 30 tonnes of cane per hectare to more than 120 tonnes/ha with a world average at about 70 tonnes/ha. Similarly, in the beet segment agricultural yields varied from 22 tonnes/ha to more than 110 tonnes/ha. In terms of industrial yields, averages for the last three seasons varied from less than 3 tonnes/ha to more than 15 tonnes/ha. The weighted world average for sugar yields in the last three seasons (2013/14-2015/16) was 8.20 tonnes/ha which can be compared to 7.74 tonnes/ha at the beginning of the 2000s.

There is a significant difference in developments in the cane and beet sectors during the past 15 years. Agricultural and industrial yields have nearly stagnated in the cane sector (in terms of world averages), and growth in world cane sugar production can be mainly attributed to ever-increasing cane areas. On the contrary, despite some significant falls in areas under beet, the level of sugar beet production has remained stable, which can be attributed to remarkable improvements in both agricultural and industrial yields achieved by the sector.

Contents:

Introduction
Part I.	Data Overview 
      1.   Argentina: distribution of cane for sugar and ethanol production
      2.   Brazil: distribution of sugar cane for different uses
      3.   Colombia: bioethanol in sugar cane production
      4.   EU: bioethanol in beet sugar production
      5.   India: industrial sugar and artisan sweeteners
      6.   Pakistan: industrial sugar and gur

Part II.	Sugar Cane Sector
      1.   Cane areas and agricultural yields
      2.   Industrial yields 

Part III  Sugar Beet Sector
       1.    Beet areas and agricultural yields
       2.    Industrial yields in beet processing sector

Part IV    World Picture: Cane versus Beet

Conclusion

Statistical Appendix