1. SugarcaneSugarcane
By Theresa McMenomy

2.  20 million hectares in cultivation20 million hectares in cultivation
 More area is devoted to sugarcane thanMore area is devoted to sugarcane than
most cash crops produced in the tropicsmost cash crops produced in the tropics
 Has very little nutritional valueHas very little nutritional value
 Found in almost all processed foodsFound in almost all processed foods
 20% of calories consumed by Americans is20% of calories consumed by Americans is
sugarsugar
 Every 2.5 days, Americans eat nearly aEvery 2.5 days, Americans eat nearly a
half a kilogram (about a pound) of sugarhalf a kilogram (about a pound) of sugar

3. HistoryHistory
 400-350 BC- Sugar referred to in Indian400-350 BC- Sugar referred to in Indian
food recipesfood recipes
 55thth
Century- Chinese growing and makingCentury- Chinese growing and making
sugarsugar
 66thth
Century- Sugarcane cultivated inCentury- Sugarcane cultivated in
Persia (Invented conical sugar loaves)Persia (Invented conical sugar loaves)

4. Arab ExpansionArab Expansion
WestwardWestward
(Defeat of Heraclius in 636 and Invasion of Spain in(Defeat of Heraclius in 636 and Invasion of Spain in
711)711)
Spreading Sugar throughout the Mediterranean…Spreading Sugar throughout the Mediterranean…
 Introduced sugarcane, its cultivation, the art ofIntroduced sugarcane, its cultivation, the art of
sugar making, and a taste for its differentsugar making, and a taste for its different
sweetness to:sweetness to:
 SicilySicily
CyprusCyprus
MaltaMalta
SpainSpain
Much of Maghrib (especially in Morocco)Much of Maghrib (especially in Morocco)
RhodesRhodes

5. Old World PlantationsOld World Plantations
 Europeans of non-Moslem EuropeEuropeans of non-Moslem Europe
became familiar with sugar through thebecame familiar with sugar through the
CrusadesCrusades
 European Crusaders took advantage ofEuropean Crusaders took advantage of
sugarcane bysugarcane by seizingseizing the sugarthe sugar
plantationsplantations
 Produced the cane withProduced the cane with slave laborslave labor

6. New World PlantationsNew World Plantations
 Spain and Portugal’s sugarcane knowledge is owed toSpain and Portugal’s sugarcane knowledge is owed to
occupying Moorsoccupying Moors
 Continued plantation tradition of slaveryContinued plantation tradition of slavery
 As P. and S. initiated the sugar industry in the AtlanticAs P. and S. initiated the sugar industry in the Atlantic
islands just as production in Greece, Italy, Spain andislands just as production in Greece, Italy, Spain and
north Africa was decreasingnorth Africa was decreasing
 European demand was increasingEuropean demand was increasing
 Sugar increasingly becomes less of a luxury and statusSugar increasingly becomes less of a luxury and status
symbol and more commonly usedsymbol and more commonly used

7. British and FrenchBritish and French
ColonistsColonists
 By the near mid-seventeenth century, firstBy the near mid-seventeenth century, first
considered producing sugar in the Caribbeanconsidered producing sugar in the Caribbean
 Many Colonists were small-scale cultivators ofMany Colonists were small-scale cultivators of
limited meanslimited means
 LaborLabor: Slave, political prisoners (petty: Slave, political prisoners (petty
criminals, political and religiouscriminals, political and religious
nonconformists, labor organizer and Irishnonconformists, labor organizer and Irish
revolutionaries), and debt and indenturedrevolutionaries), and debt and indentured
servantsservants
 By late 17By late 17thth
Century, plantations replaced smallCentury, plantations replaced small
farms—sharp increase of enslaved Africansfarms—sharp increase of enslaved Africans

10. After emancipation…Same Conditions

11. Continued regimentation of sugarContinued regimentation of sugar
plantation routine many years afterplantation routine many years after
slavery (Louisiana)slavery (Louisiana)

13. Loading Cane onto the
Carrier en route to sugar
mill

15. Boiling Cane JuiceBoiling Cane Juice

16. U.S. ImperialismU.S. Imperialism
 Spanish-American War of 1898—US seized Cuba and PuertoSpanish-American War of 1898—US seized Cuba and Puerto
RicoRico
 1905—US seized the D.R. (Occupied it from 1916 to 1924)1905—US seized the D.R. (Occupied it from 1916 to 1924)
 US capitalists controlled entire colonial CaribbeanUS capitalists controlled entire colonial Caribbean
Sugar Mills in the Dominican Republic (1930)

17. Technology ProblemsTechnology Problems
3 Reasons for persistence of poverty:3 Reasons for persistence of poverty:
1.1. Results of new free market laborResults of new free market labor
2.2. Fast-paced economic integration to the U.S. economyFast-paced economic integration to the U.S. economy
3.3. Introduction of the latest technological advances in sugarIntroduction of the latest technological advances in sugar
millsmills
 Technological improvements translated into falling price marginsTechnological improvements translated into falling price margins
between refined and raw sugar under the conditions of industrialbetween refined and raw sugar under the conditions of industrial
competitioncompetition
 Time required to refine sugarTime required to refine sugar fell from 3 weeks to 16 hoursfell from 3 weeks to 16 hours (B/c of(B/c of
combined use of steam, the vacuum pan, animal charcoal, and thecombined use of steam, the vacuum pan, animal charcoal, and the
centrifugal machine)centrifugal machine)
 Outstripped the increases in consumption and demandOutstripped the increases in consumption and demand

18. Sugar Trust (1887)Sugar Trust (1887)
 1890-91price war caused industrial concentration that1890-91price war caused industrial concentration that
strengthened the Sugar Trust—to control 98% of thestrengthened the Sugar Trust—to control 98% of the
outpost of refined sugar in the United Statesoutpost of refined sugar in the United States
 Initial attacks against the trust were quieted by the USInitial attacks against the trust were quieted by the US
gov’t’s reliance on big capital for the organization of thegov’t’s reliance on big capital for the organization of the
WWI economyWWI economy
 Populist antitrust movement declinedPopulist antitrust movement declined
 1922- American Sugar Refining Company allowed to1922- American Sugar Refining Company allowed to
retain 25% interest in the National Refining sugarretain 25% interest in the National Refining sugar
Company, 31% interest in the Great Western Beet SugarCompany, 31% interest in the Great Western Beet Sugar
Company, and a 34% interest in the Michigan SugarCompany, and a 34% interest in the Michigan Sugar
CompanyCompany

19. High Fructose Corn SyrupHigh Fructose Corn Syrup
(HFCS)(HFCS)
 Sugar’s strongest competitorSugar’s strongest competitor
 US-leading producer of HFCS (about 8% of entireUS-leading producer of HFCS (about 8% of entire
sweetener market)sweetener market)
 Primarily industrial—Primarily industrial—
HFCS productionHFCS production
is justified only ifis justified only if
there is a nearbythere is a nearby
production chainproduction chain
 Technology moreTechnology more
complex and morecomplex and more
capital intensivecapital intensive

20. Proletarian CauseProletarian Cause
 1800- free trade turned sugar into a rare necessity of1800- free trade turned sugar into a rare necessity of
every English personevery English person
 Commoners around the world struggling to stabilize their dietsCommoners around the world struggling to stabilize their diets
 Increased purchasing but decline in nutritionIncreased purchasing but decline in nutrition
 By 1900-Nearly 1/5 of the calories in the English diet wereBy 1900-Nearly 1/5 of the calories in the English diet were
from sugarfrom sugar
““Because industrialization caused increasingBecause industrialization caused increasing
urbanization and urbanization entailed shiftingurbanization and urbanization entailed shifting
patterns of food consumption, sugar acquiredpatterns of food consumption, sugar acquired
increasing importance in the dietary intake of urbanincreasing importance in the dietary intake of urban
populations”populations”
 Working families replaced traditional meals with bread andWorking families replaced traditional meals with bread and
jam and other sugar products to save timejam and other sugar products to save time

21. Major EnvironmentMajor Environment
ImpactsImpacts
 Destruction of biodiversity—cultivatedDestruction of biodiversity—cultivated
entire tropical regions, e.g. islandsentire tropical regions, e.g. islands
 Conversion of primary forest habitatConversion of primary forest habitat
 Soil erosionSoil erosion
 Agrochemcial useAgrochemcial use
 Organic matter from processing effluentsOrganic matter from processing effluents

22. Potential to ImprovePotential to Improve
 PoorPoor
 Price too low to improve industry orPrice too low to improve industry or
geneticsgenetics
 Better management practices are knownBetter management practices are known
but producers are set in their waysbut producers are set in their ways
 Subsidies for sugar beets and can andSubsidies for sugar beets and can and
market barriers in developed countriesmarket barriers in developed countries
are disincentives for producers to changeare disincentives for producers to change

23. Green CaneGreen Cane
 Growers do not burn the foliage for harvest (UsedGrowers do not burn the foliage for harvest (Used
in Cuba, Australia and Brazil)in Cuba, Australia and Brazil)
 Avoids pollutionAvoids pollution
 Improves soil fertility conservationImproves soil fertility conservation
 Lowers or eliminates consumption ofLowers or eliminates consumption of
agrochemicalsagrochemicals
 Allows for the use of residues as fuel, animal feedAllows for the use of residues as fuel, animal feed
or raw materialor raw material
 Alternative to chemical fertilizers—recycledAlternative to chemical fertilizers—recycled
wastes and residues (filter mud) and liquidwastes and residues (filter mud) and liquid
effluents as irrigated watereffluents as irrigated water

24. Multiple UsesMultiple Uses
 Sugarcane ethanolSugarcane ethanol
 Cane bagasse—Cane bagasse—
renewable source ofrenewable source of
fibrous raw material thatfibrous raw material that
can replace wood in somecan replace wood in some
applications and be madeapplications and be made
into paper/cardboardinto paper/cardboard
 Wood replacement to forestWood replacement to forest
conservationconservation
 Industry by-products serveIndustry by-products serve
as feed support for bothas feed support for both
ruminants and swineruminants and swine

25. Works CitedWorks Cited
2005 Agriculture and Environment:Commodities. Electronic document,2005 Agriculture and Environment:Commodities. Electronic document,
http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do_policy/agriculture_environment/commodities/sugarcane/http://www.panda.org/about_wwf/what_we_do_policy/agriculture_environment/commodities/sugarcane/, accessed April 22, 2007., accessed April 22, 2007.
Ayala, CesarAyala, Cesar
19991999 American Sugar Kingdom: The Plantation Economy of the Spanish Caribbean 1898-1934.American Sugar Kingdom: The Plantation Economy of the Spanish Caribbean 1898-1934. London: University of North Carolina Press.London: University of North Carolina Press.
Chasteen, JohnChasteen, John
20062006 Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America.Born in Blood and Fire: A Concise History of Latin America. New York: W. W. Norton & Company.New York: W. W. Norton & Company.
Classen, ConstanceClassen, Constance
1996 SUGAR CANE, COCA-COLA AND HYPERMARKETS: CONSUMPTION AND SURREALISM IN THE ARGENTINE NORTHWEST.1996 SUGAR CANE, COCA-COLA AND HYPERMARKETS: CONSUMPTION AND SURREALISM IN THE ARGENTINE NORTHWEST. InIn
Cross-Cultural Consumption: Global Markets, Local Realitities.Cross-Cultural Consumption: Global Markets, Local Realitities. David Howes, ed. Pp. 39-54. London: Routledge.David Howes, ed. Pp. 39-54. London: Routledge.
Cordoves Herrera, MarianelaCordoves Herrera, Marianela
Cane, Sugar and the Environment. Electronic document,Cane, Sugar and the Environment. Electronic document, http://www.fao.org/docrep/005/X4988E/x4988e01.htmhttp://www.fao.org/docrep/005/X4988E/x4988e01.htm
Dye, AlanDye, Alan
19981998 Cuban Sugar in the Age of Mass Production: Technology and the Economics of the Sugar Central 1899-1929.Cuban Sugar in the Age of Mass Production: Technology and the Economics of the Sugar Central 1899-1929. Stanford: StanfordStanford: Stanford
University Press.University Press.
Mintz, Sindey WMintz, Sindey W
19851985 Sweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern HistorySweetness and Power: The Place of Sugar in Modern History. New York: Penguin Books.. New York: Penguin Books.
Monreal, PedroMonreal, Pedro
20022002 Development Prospects in Cuba: An Agenda in the MakingDevelopment Prospects in Cuba: An Agenda in the Making. London: Institute of Latin American Studies.. London: Institute of Latin American Studies.
Rodrigue, JohnRodrigue, John
20012001 Reconstruction in the Cane Fields: From Slavery to Free Labor in Louisiana’s Sugar Parishes 1862-1880Reconstruction in the Cane Fields: From Slavery to Free Labor in Louisiana’s Sugar Parishes 1862-1880. Baton Rouge: Louisiana. Baton Rouge: Louisiana
State University Press.State University Press.
Schwartz, StuartSchwartz, Stuart
19851985 Sugar Plantations in the Formation of Brazilian Society: Bahia, 1550-1835.Sugar Plantations in the Formation of Brazilian Society: Bahia, 1550-1835. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.