Farmer's Weekly

Preventing a sugar crash

FAST FACTS

Over the past two decades, South Africa has lost almost two-thirds of its sugar cane farmers.

In 2020, South Africa exported 800 000t of sugar at a loss.

The sugar industry contributes only 0,84% to South Africa’s GDP; however, it is the largest contributor (44%) to agricultural GDP in KwaZulu-Natal, and the second-largest (40%) in Mpumalanga.

Glucose is often the first painkiller given to newborns, but how should South Africa’s critically ill sugar industry be treated?

In two decades, the country’s annual sugar production has shrunk by nearly 25%, from 2,75 million to 2,1 million tons. Over the same period, we have lost almost 60% of our sugar cane farmers, and other sugar industry jobs are estimated to have declined by 45%.

As in the rest of the world, health concerns and modern lifestyles are leading to stagnation in sugar demand. Demand for sugar

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