The origins of Swaziland's sugar industry can be traced back to an irrigation project in the lowveld area at Big Bend in 1956. Early production at the Big Bend mill amounted to 5 600 tons per annum. This mill was subsequently upgraded along with the construction of a second mill further north at Mhlume in 1960. The 1964/65 season realised 100 000 tons.

The industry took a quantum leap in 1980 with the commissioning of a third mill at Simunye. By the end of the 1992/93 season, Swaziland's sugar production had been pushed to 471 000 tons - nearly 90 times the output of the fledgling industry of the 1950s.

The operations of the Swaziland sugar industry are regulated by the Swaziland Sugar Association (SSA), whose highest policy-making body is the Council. The Council, in turn, comprises twelve members from the Swaziland Sugar Millers Association (SSMA) and twelve members from the Swaziland Cane Growers Association (SCGA).

Today sugar represents the single biggest industry with revenues in excess of E2 billion per annum.

SSA's mandate is to promote the efficient production as well as the optimal marketing of the country's sugar. The number of smallholder growers, mostly on Swazi Nation Land, has grown considerably in recent years - particularly since the 1990s. Currently, total annual sugar production stands at approximately 640 000 tons. The total area under sugarcane is approximately 52 000 hectares. This production scenario speaks directly to the high efficiency of sugar production in Swaziland. At the same time, Swaziland has continuously retained its top-10 position amongst low-cost sugar producers in the world.