When Did Sugar Cane Originate?

Sugarcane was originally domesticated around 8000 BC in New Guinea. From there knowledge about this plant slowly moved toward east across Southeast Asia until it reached India, where the first organized production of sugar began during middle of 1st millennia BC.

What was sugarcane originally used for?

It is likely that sugarcane was primarily a “fodder” crop, used to fatten pigs, though humans may have chewed on the stalks from time to time. Evidence from plant remnants and DNA suggests that sugarcane evolved in South East Asia.

Where did sugar cane originate Old or New World?

Sugar cane — native to Southeast Asia — first made its way to the New World with Christopher Columbus during his 1492 voyage to the Dominican Republic, where it grew well in the tropical environment.