Sugarcane
Revision as of 20:58, 13 December 2011 by Jill Richardson (talk | contribs) (SW: →Production Statistics: add info)
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) is a plant in the grass family (Gramineae) that is cultivated to produce table sugar (sucrose), molasses, rum, and ethanol. Historically, sugarcane was produced with slave labor. In modern times, it is still often linked to exploitative labor practices. For more information, see the article on Sugarcane Labor Practices.
Contents
Production Statistics
In 2009, the top sugar cane producing countries (ranked by quantity of sugar cane, not sugar itself) were as follows:[1]
- 1. Brazil: 671,395,000 metric tons
- 2. India: 285,029,000 metric tons
- 3. China: 116,251,272 metric tons
- 4. Thailand: 66,816,400 metric tons
- 5. Pakistan: 50,045,400 metric tons
- 6. Mexico: 49,492,700 metric tons
- 7. Colombia: 38,500,000 metric tons
- 8. Australia: 31,456,900 metric tons
- 9. Argentina: 29,950,000 metric tons
- 10. United States: 27.456,000 metric tons
- 11. Indonesia: 26,500,000 metric tons
- 12. Philippines: 22,932,800 metric tons
- 13. South Africa: 20,500,000 metric tons
- 14. Guatemala: 18,391,700 metric tons
- 15. Egypt: 17,000,000 metric tons
- 16. Viet Nam: 15,246,400 metric tons
- 17. Cuba: 14,900,000 metric tons
- 18. Peru: 10,100,100 metric tons
- 19. Venezuela: 9,500,000 metric tons
- 20. Myanmar: 8,500,000 metric tons
Resources and articles
Related Sourcewatch articles
References
External Resources
- [FAS Commodity Trade Info: Sugar], U.S. Department of Agriculture.
External Articles
- "Brazil Slave Labor Complaints Rise, Linked To Sugarcane Production," Newsone, April 29, 2009.
- Laura Baas, "Child Labour on Sugar Cane Plantations in Bolivia: A Worst Form of Child Labour," January 2009.