Once the world's largest sugar exporter, Cuba now relies on imports to meet domestic demand – a dramatic reversal marking one of modern agriculture's most striking declines. The Caribbean nation's sugar production has dwindled to 10% of its 1989 peak, according to 2026 industry analyses.
Economic reforms, aging infrastructure, and shifting global trade patterns have accelerated the collapse since the 1990s. Luis Chirino, a Havana-based agricultural reporter, notes: 'What was once our golden crop now struggles to sweeten even local coffee cups. Many former sugarcane fields lie fallow or have been converted to subsistence farming.'
The government recently announced plans to modernize remaining mills through partnerships with overseas investors, though experts remain cautious. With global sugar prices at eight-year highs, Cuba's import costs continue straining its economy.
