And the third one hasn't even taken out any federal loans.

In August and September 2000, local growers handed about 282,000 tons worth around $100 million to the federal government to pay off their loans, citing domestic prices for sugar that were at a 25-year low.

At that time, prices were at about 18 cents a pound, more than a cent lower than the break-even point for growers to produce and ship a pound of sugar.

This week, prices are just shy of 21 cents a pound.

U.S. Sugar Corp. in Clewiston has no sugar under federal loan this year, spokeswoman Judy Sanchez said Wednesday. The 1.1 million tons forfeited last year by cane and sugar beet growers nationwide removed that sugar from the market, tightening supplies and boosting prices, she said.

West Palm Beach-based Florida Crystals Corp. took out a total of $46 million in federal loans this year, and has paid $12 million due this month, spokesman Jorge Dominicis said.

"We hope to do the same in September," Dominicis said. "That was a very rare occurrence last year."

The Sugar Cane Growers Cooperative of Florida in Belle Glade has $42 million in federal loans, all due at the end of September, spokeswoman Barbara Miedema said.

"If we have these prices at the end of September, we won't forfeit," Miedema said. "It's an option of last resort."

U.S. Department of Agriculture policy analyst Dan Colacicco in Washington said supply and demand explains the rise in sugar prices.

Production is down, and demand is up about 1 percent, he said.

Last year, U.S. farmers produced 9 million tons of sugar. This year, it's about 8.6 million tons, Colacicco said.

The government has reduced last year's 1.1 million tons of forfeited sugar to 740,000 tons and is paying sugar companies about $1 million a month in rent to store the surplus.