Organic sugar production in Mexico reaches 14,000 tons
Organic sugar production in Mexico reached 14,000 tons in the 2020-2021 season (October-September), according to data from the United States Department of Agriculture (USDA).
Of that total, approximately 12,000 tons were certified by the USDA for export to the United States.
Organic sugar is predominantly produced in Sinaloa.
USDA contacts indicate that organic sugar consumption is growing due to consumer preferences for organic or sustainable products.
Made from organic cane, organic sugar is a type of raw sweetener that does not undergo any chemical treatment during its manufacturing process.
Workforce and organic sugar
More than 180,000 sugarcane growers employ a large number of day laborers, cutters, transporters, and others in Mexico’s supply chain.
Today, the producers are organized into two large unions that represent more than 95% of all cane producers.
According to sugarcane leaders, sugarcane cutters charge between 60 and 70 pesos per ton cut and can earn up to 3,000 pesos per week.
However, the difficult physical strain of workers and higher wages in other commodities have reduced the available workforce.
US market
The price of sugar is subject to price supports under United States agricultural law.
Said legislation establishes import quotas and tariffs to support the price of sugar.
As a result, sugar prices paid by users in the United States are currently higher than world sugar market prices.
The United States provided prices for refined sugar from the east coast traded in a range of $ 44 to $ 49 per pound during 2020.
Prices were historically high during 2020 due to low beet and cane sugar production in 2019 for all of North America.
