The Mexican Sugarcane Industry: Overview, Constraints, Current Status and Long-Term Trends

Abstract

Sugarcane (Saccharum species hybrid) as a source and epicenter of the renewable energy, bio-fuels and bio-materials, as well as a food crop, is becoming more widely recognized as a source of rural livelihoods. Sugarcane production in Mexico has more than 490 years of history; however, Mexican sugar industry is recognized as uncompetitive in nature, mainly due to stagnating low sugarcane and sucrose yield and highly fiber in stalks per hectare and variability in the production process. Average yields of sugarcane (TCH) range from 60 to 70 metric tons/ha and sucrose yields (TSH) 8,000 kg/ha last decade. The sugarcane agriculture yield decline has been defined as “the loss of productive capacity of sugarcane growing soils under long term monoculture” and takes place in a highly distinctive landscape on both the Pacific and Gulf of Mexico coasts and in high mountain river valleys in central Mexico. The sugar mills are characterized by a dichotomy because vary greatly in size, age and technology with a preponderance of medium and small mills, old, obsolete and inefficient technologies, which increases the cost of sugar production in Mexico compared to countries with advanced technology and supporting system. Therefore, Mexico is considered as a medium-to-low cost producer of sugar. These factors have adversely affected sugarcane growers and sugar industry, and constantly eroding their sustainability and profitability. The sugar has assumed the status of “political goods” like petroleum. The Mexican sugar industry is facing numerous challenges, like high crushing capacities and environmental impact, high demand from domestic market but low sugarcane productivity and capacity to supply sugar cane from fields. The diversification without strategies of sugarcane growers and sugar factories for improving profitability and competitiveness for creating the grounds for a green and sustainable biorefinery industry and to develop a modern agro-industry to fill a national need in food and biofuels also needs immediate attention. In this review, performance, present and future relevant aspects of the sugar industry are presented and discussed.