Volume of sugar beet produced in Canada 2010-2015
Sugar beet production in Canada - additional information
The roots of sugar beets contain a high concentration of sucrose, which is used for the production of sugar. After harvesting, usually in autumn, the sugar beets are transported into factories where their sugar content is extracted. The production of sugar beets varies from year to year, usually affected by climate and weather conditions such as heavy rainfall, sunshine and winds, for example. During the 2011/2012 and 2012/2013 crop years, Canada produced between 780 and 830 thousand metric tons of sugar beets, but this was reduced to less than 670 thousand metric tons over the following two years.
During 2014 and 2015, Canada was expected to produce more than 88 thousand metric tons of refined sugar, a smaller volume than that seen in the previous three years. Refined sugar is imported in Canada on a much larger scale than it is produced – in 2014 the country imported close to 360 thousand metric tons.
As well as the sugar produced from sugar beets, Canada also produces a different type of sugar that is more famously associated with the country: maple. The maple tree is abundant in Canada and its leaf even features on the national flag. Canada is the world’s largest producer of maple syrup, which is derived from the sap of the maple tree. It is typically used as a sweetener or topping for pancakes or waffles. In 2014, Canada produced approximately 9.5 million gallons of maple syrup, large quantities of which were exported to the United States, Japan and Germany, Canada’s leading maple syrup export destinations.