Eswatini: Sugarcane Plantations

What’s the number one export of eSwatini and the main economic driving factor? It surely ain’t tourism. It’s sure cane! Sugarcane is eSwatini’s largest crop, accounting for about 59% of agricultural output and around 35% of the country’s export earnings. The small country is the third-largest producer of sugar in Africa, after South Africa and Egypt. Sugarcane plantations are primarily located in the Lowveld region of the country, in the southeast, where hot and dry conditions are ideal for sugarcane cultivation, but irrigation from the nearby rivers is critical.