When did sugar production start?
Sarah Martinez
Updated on January 09, 2026
The spread of cultivation and manufacture of cane sugar to the West Indies and tropical parts of the Americas beginning in the 16th century, followed by more intensive improvements in production in the 17th through 19th centuries in that part of the world.
Who first made sugar?
The first chemically refined sugar appeared on the scene in India about 2,500 years ago. From there, the technique spread east towards China, and west towards Persia and the early Islamic worlds, eventually reaching the Mediterranean in the 13th century. Cyprus and Sicily became important centres for sugar production.
Is sugar cane native to Australia?
Sugar cane was brought to Australia from South Africa with the First Fleet in 1788. In the same year Captain King took cane to Norfolk Island. Australia’s first centre of growing was at Port Macquarie, where Captain Allman, commandment of the penal settlement, supervised planting of cane from Norfolk Island in 1821.
Who produced queenslands first sugar?
The first sugar cane plantation was established near Brisbane by Captain Louis Hope and John Buhot, with the support of the Queensland government. Two years later, Hope started Australia’s first commercial sugar mill. Labour was an issue for the new plantations.
Why was sugar so valuable?
During the years 1625 to 1750, Sugar was worth its weight in gold and was referred to as “White Gold”. To make it cheaper Europeans opened the slave trade in the Caribbean islands, where the native american slaves were made to cultivate and grow sugar cane.
Which country is largest producer of sugarcane?
Brazil
2019
| 10 LARGEST PRODUCERS | 10 LARGEST CONSUMERS | |
|---|---|---|
| (in mln metric tonnes, tel quel) | ||
| 1 | India | 25.51 |
| 2 | Brazil | 18.11 |
| 3 | EU-28 | 16.20 |
What is Cane sugar Australia?
Sucrose, or common sugar, is a disaccharide made up of glucose and fructose. In Australia, sucrose comes mainly from the giant tropical grass sugarcane, while in the US, most of it is produced from sugar beets.
Who is the biggest sugar producer in the world?
The largest sugar-producing countries in 2019–2020 were Brazil, India, the EU, China, and Thailand. Brazil was the single largest producer, with 29.93 million metric tons of sugar produced in 2019–2020.
Who was involved in the sugar farming?
1862 Captain Louis Hope and John Buhot established a sugar cane plantation near Brisbane. Hope operated Australia’s first commercial sugar mill. 1864 Cane growing spread along the coast of Queensland and northern New South Wales.
What’s the history of sugar in the world?
History of Sugar. Making Life Sweeter Since 8000 BCE. Sugar is one of the world’s oldest documented commodities, and at one time, it was so valuable that people locked it up in a sugar safe! While chewing sugar cane for its sweet taste was likely done in prehistory, the first indications of the domestication of sugar cane were around 8000 BCE.
When did sugar cane become a popular commodity?
Dutch colonists introduced sugar cane to South America and the Caribbean (Barbados, Virgin Islands). 16 1710 – 1770 CE Sugar became an extremely popular commodity, representing 20% of all European imports; toward the end of the century, the British and French colonies in the West Indies produced 80% of the sugar. 17
When did the production of sugar become mechanized?
Beginning in the late 18th century, the production of sugar became increasingly mechanized. The steam engine first powered a sugar mill in Jamaica in 1768, and soon after, steam replaced direct firing as the source of process heat.
Who was the largest sugar producer in the New World?
By 1516, Hispañiola is the most important sugar producer in the New World. The Ottoman Empire Pushes Sugar Westward Mediterranean sugar production faces many challenges: a diminished labor pool, a climate that isn’t ideal for growing cane, and depleted soil and deforestation. Importing sugar is easier than growing and producing it.
