Havana: Cuba, once a global sugar powerhouse, is expected to produce only 300,000 metric tons of sugar in 2025, marking a dramatic downturn in its agricultural output, provincial media reports reveal. The island, once synonymous with sugar production, now faces crippling shortages of fuel, fertilizer, machinery, and labor, which have severely impacted its state-run sugar industry and overall food production.
For decades, sugar reigned as the cornerstone of Cuba’s economy, with over 100 mills processing vast quantities of cane for domestic consumption and export. However, this year, only 15 mills are set to operate, a sharp drop from the 24 that were open last year. Vice President Salvador Valdés emphasized the urgency of reviving cane planting during a recent visit to Camagüey, a province now producing only 10,000 metric tons of sugar compared to historic outputs of up to 200,000 tons.
“We have to plant cane,” Valdés stressed. “If there is cane, there will be a harvest, but we have less and less cane.”
Government data for last season’s sugar production remains undisclosed, but estimates from Reuters and provincial media peg it at a historic low of 300,000 metric tons—comparable to late 19th-century levels. Ten of the 13 sugar-producing provinces have reported plans consistent with last year’s meager outputs.
This agricultural collapse mirrors Cuba’s broader food crisis. Since 2020, U.S. sanctions and the COVID-19 pandemic have devastated the island’s import-dependent economy, slashing foreign exchange earnings and triggering a severe economic downturn. Food production has plummeted by more than 40%, with food processing experiencing similar declines.
Also Read | The Secret to Dinosaur Supremacy Found in Fossilized Feces and Vomit
In eastern Las Tunas, once a prominent sugar-producing region, the local Communist Party newspaper reported a 48% reduction in sugarcane planting areas between December 2020 and June 2024.
Also Read | FDA Rejects Applied Therapeutics’ Galactosemia Drug, Govorestat, Shares Plunge 84%
The decline of Cuba’s sugar industry underscores the challenges faced by its struggling agricultural sector, leaving the nation grappling with both economic and food security crises.
