The agreement, which will secure almost 10 per cent of its annual stocks, is part of the UK firm's long-term supply inititiative.

Around 100,000 tonnes of raw sugar will be processed in the Tate & Lyle Thames refinery before being distributed to industrial customers.

Director of investor and media relations, Chris McLeish, said: "There are clearly sustainable elements to this relationship. Part of the transaction involves pre-financing certain stages of the sugar production process in Jamaica so we can help them deliver efficient and productive yields from their sugar harvest."

Jamaica is one of the main countries that supplies Tate & Lyle. Others include Belize, Fiji, Laos and Cambodia.