Production Facts

• In 2006, Florida ranked 1st nationally in value of sugar produced (approximately $425 million) from sugarcane, which accounted for 50 percent of the total U.S. value of sugar from sugarcane. This equates to over 20 percent of total sugar (from sugar beet + sugarcane) produced in the U.S. annually (1,2). • The southeast and Hawaii are the only areas in the U.S. where sugarcane is commercially planted. Approximately 400,000 acres of sugarcane are harvested in Florida annually, producing approximately 1.5 million tons of sugar (1,2). • Sugarcane is Florida’s most valuable field crop, worth more than the combined value of the Florida-grown corn, soybean, tobacco, and peanut crops. The crop ranks third in Florida’s agricultural economy, behind the greenhouse/nursery and citrus industries (2). • All Florida sugarcane travels to one of the five mills that operate in southern Florida. The corporate growers comprise about two-thirds of the cane, while cooperative mills comprise the remainder. The raw sugar travels by road, rail, or ship to refineries or it is marketed in its raw state (2)