Sucrose, lactose, and fructose are a trio of substances from which we taste the flavor "sweet". Sugar itself is a crystalline substance derived primarily from sugar cane and sugar beets. Most of us are likely more familiar with sugar cane and its history as it shaped the Caribbean through plantations which ran on slave labor to produce their bounty of molasses and rum.
Sugar cane has been produced for centuries and is now mostly grown in warm climates around the world. The following chart shows a selection of top producers:
The following chart shows the relative US production of cane sugar against some of the world's top producers:
Of course, many countries with cooler climates still produce sugar beets which, in the Northern Hemisphere, have a season that culminates in a harvest normally beginning in September. Sugar beets may be stored after harvest, but like cane they can lose some of their sugar content in this manner.
Sugar cane is crushed for collecting and filtering juice. Following treatment to remove impurities and boiling, dredging, and skimming, sugar liquid begins to produce crystals which are removed from syrup using a centrifuge. Raw sugar crystals may be refined further or shipped to another location for additional processing.
Beet sugars are washed and sliced and sugar is extracted with hot water. Treatment, filtration, and evaporation lead to a centrifuge as well.
The rough share of commercial world sugar production is 70% cane sugar to 30% beet sugar.
Some of the top sugar importers and exporters across the globe are noted in the graphs below:
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