We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.
Advertiser Disclosure
Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.
How We Make Money
We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently of our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.
Manufacturing

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

What is the Sugar Industry?

By Tess C. Taylor
Updated: May 17, 2024
Views: 8,219
Share

The sugar industry refers to the industry that grows, processes, refines, transports, buys, and sells sugar around the world. Sugar has been an important staple of the human diet, dating back as far as 300 BC when Alexander the Great brought it back to the civilized world through trade routes that reached from Asia into Europe, through India and the Middle East. This industry is a thriving market that is driven by humanity’s need for sweet foods and beverages consumed at increasingly high rates.

Sugar cane and sugar beets, the raw forms refined sugar, are grown around the globe in regions where there are wetlands and tropical climates. Wherever sugar is cultivated, thousands of acres of plants cover large swaths of land. Major sugar-producing countries include the United States (US), China, India, and Brazil.

The sugar industry harvests raw sugar product and transports it to refining plants. Sugar refineries and mills reduce the sugar cane into several forms, such as raw sugar, sugar granules, or powdered sugar. Sometimes the refining plants also process raw sugar into brown sugar, molasses, syrups, and liquid sugars. These products are then shipped to other companies through the sugar industry to produce the foods and products that humans consume.

Just like other industries that sell products that are in great demand by consumers, the sugar industry controls the amount of sugar to be transported to other regions. Factors such as the availability of sugar products due to growing seasons, transportation and fuel costs, taxes and other costs of trading internationally can all play a part in the costs of buying and selling sugar.

In many of the world’s most developed countries, sugar is consumed at the rate of 20-30 teaspoons or more per day, with teens accounting for the highest number of consumers enjoying sugar daily. In cooperation with the sugar industry, studies from the US Food and Drug Administration indicate that the consumption of sugar products and sweeteners has increased significantly since the 1980s.

Share
WiseGeek is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.

Editors' Picks

Discussion Comments
Share
https://www.wisegeek.net/what-is-the-sugar-industry.htm
Copy this link
WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

WiseGeek, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.