Cuba’s Sugar Output Hits 150-Year Low, Reflecting Agriculture and Economic Woes | N18G

Cuba, once a global sugar powerhouse, expects to produce just 300,000 metric tons of sugar in 2025, matching output levels from the late 1800s. The industry, plagued by shortages of fuel, fertilisers, machinery, and labour, now has only 15 operational mills, down from 24 last year. Camaguey province, a key producer, faces drastically reduced yields. The economic crisis, worsened by U.S. sanctions and the pandemic, has slashed food production and processing by over 40%. In Las Tunas, sugarcane planting dropped 48% since 2020. Once central to Cuba’s economy, sugar now epitomises the decline of the island’s agricultural sector.