Cuba’s sugar industry continues to struggle with historically low raw sugar production. As inflation continues to spread across multiple countries throughout the world, Cuba too has been affected by rising costs and supply chain challenges. Specifically, fuel and vehicle shortages have negatively impacted Cuba’s sugar industry as both are essential for sugar cane production. Once an exporter of sugar, Cuba is now required to import sugar to meet its own domestic demand. Azcuba, the state-owned sugar company, has continued production while others have stalled.1 Cuba relies on profits derived from rum exports; the dismal rum harvest results directly affect both the rum industry as well as an already struggling Cuban economy. The situation has become so extreme, some are declaring it a national disaster2. While this may or may not be the case yet, it certainly is very bad for Cuba’s rum industry which produces some of the finest rums in the world.
