Sugar cane

Originating in the faraway lands of New Guinea and Indochina, sugar cane spread around the world thanks to cuttings, reaching the shores of Guadeloupe in the 17th century. A bearer of flavors and histories, it is deeply rooted in our island.
Find out more about Guadeloupe’s sugar cane.

12000

hectares devoted to sugarcane
in Guadeloupe

3000

sugarcane farms

55 %

sugarcane acreage as a percentage of total arable land in Guadeloupe.

7500

jobs generated by agriculture
sugarcane

hectares of average farm area producing sugarcane

Good for our earth

It helps keep our soil healthy. Thanks to the dry leaves left on the ground after harvesting, it limits the rapid runoff of water, prevents erosion and inhibits weed regrowth.
This crop only requires ploughing every 5 to 7 years.

Cane can be organic, and when it isn’t, it doesn’t use fungicides or insecticides. It is cyclone- and weather-resistant, drought-resistant and water-efficient. A true champion in the capture of greenhouse gases, it represents a low-carbon crop that cares for and regenerates the soil.

Good for our economy

Sugar cane cultivation generates over 8,000 jobs, contributing to the island’s economic development. In one annual cycle, it pays the planter, produces sugar and, consequently, skimmings, molasses and bagasse. These three co-products are used respectively to make compost to regenerate the soil, rum and energy. Assured of the sale of his cane, the grower can also open up to diversification crops.

Good for our tourism

Sugar cane is good for tourism in Guadeloupe,
because it shapes the emblematic landscapes of our archipelago. Tourists from all over the world come to admire the sugar cane fields and discover our history and know-how.

The tradition of the Titans' Ball

Every year, at the end of the sugar harvest, the cane transporters get ready for the Parade of the Titans, carefully decorating their trucks with string lights and sounding their horns. This festive occasion celebrates their work and brings together young and old along the roads, making this event a much-anticipated popular tradition.

5 months of sugar campaign

The sugar harvest is one of the highlights of the year.
During the dry period of our latitude (from February to the end of June), sugarcane concentrates its sucrose to better resist the lack of water. It’s a human, technical and economic adventure that demands commitment, know-how and solidarity.