Sugarcane is a tropical plant and grown as cash crop in the world. Sugarcane is the main source of sugar (80%) globally and holds a prominent position as a cash crop.  

• It is one of the main crops of earning foreign exchange. The sugar juice is used for making white sugar, brown sugar (khandsari) and jaggery (gur). 
• There are two distinct agro-climatic regions of sugarcane cultivation in India, viz., tropical and subtropical.  

• Tropical region has about 45% area and contributes 55% of the total sugarcane production in the country.  
• Thus, sub-tropical region accounts for 55% area and shares 45% of total production of sugarcane. The average sugarcane yield in the country is about 69.4 t/ha.  
• In world, sugarcane is grown, between the latitude 36.7° N and 31.0° S of the equator extending from tropical to subtropical zones.  
• There is no country where sugar is not being used and produced by sugarcane or sugar beet crops only.  
• About 80% of sugar is obtained from sugarcane and the remaining 20% is produced through sugar beet. An average person consumes about 24 kg of sugar every year. 

Source: NCERT – XII India People and Economy