Is South Florida a good place to grow sugarcane?
Fair. The muck soils of the Everglades are rich in nitrogen and support vigorous cane growth. Nitrogen-rich soils, in combination with the favorable South Florida climate, can sometimes lead to excessive sugarcane growth, which results in large stalks, but with reduced sugar content. Sporadic sub-freezing temperature conditions damage some cane almost every winter, particularly young growth from newly planted cane or young re-growth from ratoon “stubble” crops. South Florida also has its share of environmental concerns, thus growers design and implement Best Management Practices (BMP’s), which typically increases production costs. While Florida sugar mills are modern and efficient, labor costs are extremely high by global standards. Underlying high labor costs and other economic factors led to the industry’s rapid conversion to mechanical harvesting in the early 1990s and ultimately to a reduction in the number of sugar mills.
