The South African sugar industry is being destabilised by a continuing surge in cheap sugar imports, according to the SA Canegrowers Association.
Sugar imports accelerated last year, rising to almost 200 000 tonnes, it said in a statement, and the surge had continued this year.
“Early data from 2026 indicates that imports are still rising and adjustments to the import tariff have had no effect, further undermining the stability of the local industry.”
In a story that will be familiar to South Arica’s poultry producers, the sugar industry said that, while sugar was imported cheaply, it was sold at prices similar to the South African product.
“The profits go to the import agents and results in no savings to consumers in South Africa. This in turn means that jobs are being exported at the expense of the SA sugar industry.”
The local sugar industry says it loses more than R7,000 per ton of locally produced sugar that is displaced by imports.
“This is a combined knock of R1.5 billion on the industry over the 2025/26 season, a huge impact during a time when the local industry can least afford it,” the SA Canegrowers said.
