Sugar cane, which was introduced in Mauritius more than two centuries ago, is now grown on some 89% of the island’s cultivable lands. About 5.5 million tonnes of sugar cane are normally produced every year. The target production of sugar is 600,000 tonnes per annum. Sugar is exported mainly to the European Common Market, U.S.A. and Canada. About 40,000 tonnes of sugar are consumed locally, the balance being sold to other countries.

 

In 2004 sugar and molasses (a by-product of sugar cane manufacture) represented about 22.6% of the country’s visible exports and about 4.3% of its gross domestic product, and therefore constitute an important element in the Mauritian economy. Having this in mind, up-to-date techniques are being adopted to keep the industry efficient and profitable.