Farming and production regions
Sugarcane occupies major lowland farming areas, while altitude and exposure support diverse horticulture and livestock systems. Pineapple, lychee, banana, vegetables, vanilla and specialist crops complement cane. The island's varied climates create opportunities but also very local production constraints. Crop choice depends on water, slope, wind exposure and access to collection or processing facilities.
Processing and added value
The cane chain centres on the Bois-Rouge and Le Gol sugar factories, with links to bagasse energy and distillation. Poultry, dairy processing, fruit preparation and other food industries broaden the economy. A lower sugar concentration can reduce factory output even if the tonnage of cane is similar; cane weight alone is therefore an incomplete indicator of industrial performance.
Forests and ecotourism
The UNESCO-listed pitons, cirques and remparts include forested mountain landscapes of Réunion National Park. Bélouve, Bébour and the forests of the southeast are notable settings for nature interpretation. Rural accommodation, vanilla gardens and local food can complement hiking tourism. Access, trail condition and visitor safety require current local information, especially after severe weather.
Cities, ports and markets
Saint-Denis is the administrative centre, Le Port the main maritime gateway, and Saint-Pierre a major southern market. Saint-André and Saint-Benoît connect eastern production, while Saint-Paul serves the west. The higher-altitude communities and cirques offer different farming and tourism contexts. Transport costs should reflect slope and road access, not only straight-line distance.
Products and trade opportunities
Potential ZARI topics include specialty vanilla, tropical fruit, food-processing equipment, irrigation, cold chains and exchanges of agricultural expertise. Market entry needs product-specific quality and traceability checks with the relevant importer. A proposal should distinguish island-grown goods from imported ingredients processed locally and identify whether freight, handling and refrigerated storage are included in the price.
Risks and development priorities
Cyclones, drought, erosion and pressure on agricultural land affect growers. Garance damaged the 2025 production system unevenly, making factory and regional comparisons useful. Diversification can create income, but it must be assessed against labour, logistics and operating costs. Conservation areas are not reserves of land for agricultural expansion.
Recent figures and comparability
The 2024 cane total is the rounded provisional INSEE/DAAF figure. The January 2026 DAAF bulletin reports approximately 587,000 tonnes processed at Bois-Rouge and 549,000 at Le Gol in 2025, or about 1.136 million combined. These are rounded campaign results; their sum should not be presented as an exact final tonne count or as sugar production.
Production, exports, area and growth rates are different indicators and must not be added together. Scroll the table horizontally on small screens.
Sources and references
Reference titles retain their original language. The review date does not mean that all figures refer to the same year.