Mauritius Sugarcane Rebounds 37% with Better Weather

The sugarcane industry in Mauritius has seen some improvement after a difficult start to the season, which was hampered by significant drought conditions. Recent weather patterns have become more favorable, allowing the crops to recover. This is according to the latest report from the Mauritius Sugarcane Industry Research Institute (MSIRI) and the Mauritius Cane Industry Authority, covering up to the end of April 2025.

In March, the island experienced a dry month, recording only 160 mm of rain—just 51% of the normal for that period.

All cane-growing regions faced water shortages. However, April brought much-needed rain, with an average of 259 mm across the island—115% of the usual April rainfall.

Notably, the East received 344 mm and the Center 352 mm, while the North got 194 mm, the South 243 mm, and the West 113 mm.

Despite this improvement, total rainfall from October 2024 to April 2025 remains below expectations, reaching only 71% of the long-term average.

The season typically sees about 1,510 mm of rain, but this year, only around 1,070 mm has fallen so far.

Temperature levels in March and April exceeded normal averages, which helped promote cane growth.

Sunshine levels in March were above average overall, although in April, only certain areas like Ferret maintained typical solar radiation levels.

Although the season started slowly, sugarcane growth shows signs of recovery. In March, stem lengthening was greater than in previous years, averaging 53.6 cm compared to 47.4 cm in 2024.

In April, the average increase was 36.7 cm, also above last year’s figures. The total height of the cane stalks reached 188.9 cm by the end of April, up from 152.2 cm in March.

Nevertheless, this height still lags behind the normal by about 5%.

Experts from MSIRI say the initial slow development—measured at 152.2 cm in March—was significantly reduced thanks to better weather conditions in April.

The cane stalks now measure nearly 189 cm, which is encouraging. However, maintaining favorable weather will be crucial for achieving a good and productive harvest.

Source: Le Mauricien