King Sugar

The Caribbean's history is inseparable from sugar, and the crop is still an important feature in the economics of many islands, from Cuba to Barbados. In Jamaica entire communities depend on the sugar industry, earning a precarious living on old-fashioned plantations. What is life like on a sugar plantation at the end of the 20th century? What will happen if the sugar industry collapses? How do the poverty-stricken cane-cutters of rural Jamaica fit into this global industry? This work looks at the world sugar business, identifying the key players - producers, markets and transnational companies - and explaining how the industry works. It explores the economics and politics of trading arrangements, the mysteries of the futures market and the technology of sugar production. Based on interviews with traders, buyers and producers, it follows the commodity's progress from canefield to sugar bowl. The book finally assesses the future of sugar, both in Jamaica and the wider world, and considers future options for those still ruled by "King Sugar".