Florida Leads Nation in Production of Sugarcane

December 10, 2018

Florida leads the nation in production and value of sugarcane, accounting for 52 percent of the total U.S. value for sugarcane for sugar and seed.

Sugarcane can be grown anywhere in Florida.

Most of the commercial sugarcane industry is located in South Florida around the southern tip of Lake Okeechobee.

The sugarcane area is so compact that most Florida visitors never see a sugarcane field. Palm Beach County accounts for approximately 70 percent of the commercial sugarcane acreage. The remainder is grown in the adjacent counties of Hendry, Glades, and Martin.

Sugarcane is harvested from late-October through mid-April.