Global sugar production by leading country 2022/23

This statistic shows the sugar production worldwide in 2023/2024, by leading country (in million metric tons). For the time considered, Brazil was the largest sugar-producing country in the world, yielding approximately 45 million metric tons of sugar. The global sugar production amounted to roughly 183 million metric tons that period. 

Sugar production - additional information

Sugar, used as a sweetener in food and beverages, is a sweet crystalline substance acquired from various plants, such as sugar cane and sugar beet. It is said that sugar had first been used in the Polynesian Islands more than five thousand years ago. Early Polynesians discovered that sugar cane held a sweet-tasting liquid and could be used in preparing food. Sugar cane then became widespread due to trade, invasions and conquests. In 1493, Christopher Columbus brought sugar cane to the Caribbean and the crop thrived in the fertile environment.

In 2022/23, approximately 177 million metric tons of sugar were produced worldwide. During this period, Asia was the largest sugar-producing region in the world, yielding just about 60 million metric tons of sugar.

Sugar production in Brazil has fluctuated over the past five years. In 2010/2011, the country produced approximately 38.4 million metric tons of sugar. However, this figure decreased to roughly 34.4 million metric tons in 2021/22. In 2021, Brazil was the leading global sugar cane producer, with a production volume of 716 million metric tons. That year, the Russian Federation and France were the primary sugar beet producers worldwide.