Microeconomic Characteristics and Development Trends of Sugarcane and Sugar Market in India

The article aims to evaluate key economic characteristics and trends of sugar and sugarcane production in India, including the country's position on world markets. Sugarcane is the most important cash crop in India in the long term, and its cultivation and subsequent processing has a very long tradition in this country. India, along with Brazil, represent the two most important producers of sugar in the global scope. Each year, both countries are in the top two ranks of the world's largest sugar producers, although their respective rankings may vary from year to year. For the second time in the last three years, India reached the top rank at the expense of Brazil. Indian sugar production thus represents almost fifteen percent of the total world production of this commodity, and the country is also the world's largest consumer of sugar, the consumption of which continues to grow and thus creates additional challenges for the development of this sector. The article further evaluates the development of sugar cane and sugar production with a focus on the main growing areas, production, consumption and, last but not least, international sugar trade.