Venezuelan cane growers seek halt to Brazilian sugar imports before harvest
Venezuelan cane growers are urging the government to stop duty-free refined-sugar imports after a 32,000-tonne shipment arrived from Brazil. Producers warn that imported stocks could weaken domestic prices and obstruct sales during the coming harvest.
Brazilian cargo raises concern before the harvest
Venezuelan cane growers are calling on the national government to halt imports of refined sugar after a vessel carrying 32,000 tonnes of bagged white sugar arrived from Brazil at Puerto Cabello on July 28, according to El Carabobeño. Producers say the duty-free cargo entered at a sensitive point in the domestic production cycle, shortly before mills and farms begin marketing sugar from the next cane harvest.
The reported harvest timetable differs between producer accounts. Costa del Sol FM said growers in Portuguesa expect harvesting to begin in November, while Correo del Caroní reported that the season runs from December through April. In either case, industry representatives fear imported sugar will still occupy retail shelves and commercial inventories when locally produced volumes reach the market.
Domestic stocks already cover about two months
Inventory estimates also vary. Producers cited by Costa del Sol FM reported more than 88,000 tonnes held in the Guanare-Papelón circuit. Eugenio Rodríguez, a director of the Socaragua growers' association and treasurer of the national federation Fesoca, told Correo del Caroní that Venezuela had 100,000 tonnes in storage, enough to cover two months of consumption. The figures reinforce growers' argument that an additional refined cargo is not currently necessary.
Producers distinguish between finished refined sugar, which can move directly into distribution, and raw sugar imported for processing by Venezuelan mills. Luis Pérez, president of Socaragua, said the Brazilian product entered without tariffs or taxes and was already packed for sale. Industry representatives argue that any supply needed to cover the domestic shortfall should arrive as raw sugar, allowing local refineries to process it and preserve employment.
Growers warn of pressure on prices and mill demand
Venezuelan mills supply 60% of the national market from domestically grown cane, according to Correo del Caroní. The remaining 40% is covered with imported raw material refined inside the country. Growers fear that replacing part of this flow with finished sugar will reduce demand both for domestic cane and for processing capacity. Emilio Vargas, vice-president of Fesoca, warned that the imported sugar could sell for less than $1 in the market.
Socaragua represents growers in Aragua, Carabobo, Cojedes, Guárico and Yaracuy, which together account for 16% of national production. Their 2025-2026 harvest has exceeded 440,000 tonnes of cane and 35,000 tonnes of sugar. Pérez estimated that producing 32,000 tonnes of sugar supports about 1,000 families, or roughly 4,000 people when household members are included.
Industry seeks government intervention
Growers have asked the Ministry of Agriculture and Land to restrict further refined-sugar arrivals and protect the investment made in recent production growth. They say merchants may reject domestic sugar if cheaper imported stock remains available when mills begin selling their new output. This would shift the effect of the shipment beyond farmgate prices, affecting cane purchases, mill utilisation and employment across producing states.
Four private sugar mills remain active in Venezuela and represent more than 80% of national production, while four public mills account for the balance, Correo del Caroní reported. For growers, the policy question is therefore not only how much sugar Venezuela imports, but also its form and timing. Raw imports sustain local refining, while duty-free finished sugar competes immediately with inventories and the approaching harvest.
