Market research

Primary sugar crops market in Malawi

Release date: Mar 30, 2026

Submission: 15 minutes after payment

Research period: 2017-2025

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Earlier Report Observations

The market for primary sugar crops in Malawi began at 2 903 thousand tonnes in 2018, supported by government policies such as the Greenbelt Initiative which opened surplus land for sugarcane farming and attracted investment from local and foreign investors. However, production dipped slightly to 2 881 thousand tonnes in 2019 due to challenges including low productivity among smallholder farmers and limited access to inputs and credit. A recovery followed in 2020, with output rising to 2 959 thousand tonnes as Illovo Sugar Malawi, a major producer, expanded its production capacity.

Growth continued modestly to 2 970 thousand tonnes in 2021, driven by ongoing government promotion under the Greenbelt Initiative and new policies aimed at reducing sugar prices and increasing availability through licensed importers. The market then declined to 2 896 thousand tonnes in 2022 and fell more sharply to 2 649 thousand tonnes in 2023. During this period, the market saw increased concentration among fewer players and government investigations into unfair trading practices, while companies like Salima Sugar resumed production to expand domestic capacity.

Table of content

1. Disclaimer
2. Terms of use of the report
3. Product codes in the statistical classifications used in the report
4. Key Market Indicators and Trends
1. 4.1. Key Market Indicators
  1. 4.1.1. In kind
    1. 4.1.1.1. Production, 2018-2023
    2. 4.1.1.2. Imports, 2018-2024
    3. 4.1.1.3. Exports, 2018-2024
    4. 4.1.1.4. Market size, 2018-2023
2. 4.2. Market Trends and Factors
5. Production
1. 5.1. Production in Malawi
  1. 5.1.1. Annual dynamics of production in Malawi in kind, 2018-2023, K t
  2. 5.1.2. Annual dynamics of production in Malawi in value, 2018-2023, $ US
2. 5.2. Global production by Country, 2018-2023
  1. 5.2.1. Annual dynamics of production by macroregions in kind, 2018-2023, K t
  2. 5.2.2. Dynamics of production structure by macroregions in kind, 2018-2023
  3. 5.2.3. Annual dynamics of production by country in kind, 2018-2023, K t
  4. 5.2.4. Structure of production by countries in kind, 2018-2023
  5. 5.2.5. Dynamics of peoduction structure by countries in kind, 2018-2023
6. Imports
1. 6.1. Imports (Direct Data)
  1. 6.1.1. Imports - Total information
  2. 6.1.2. Imports in kind, kg
    1. 6.1.2.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Malawi in kind, 2018-2024, kg
    2. 6.1.2.2. Dynamics of product's imports in kind to Malawi by countries, 2018-2024, kg
    3. 6.1.2.3. Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2018-2024
  3. 6.1.3. Imports in value, $ US
    1. 6.1.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Malawi in value, 2018-2024, $ US
    2. 6.1.3.2. Dynamics of product's imports in value to Malawi by countries, 2018-2024, $ US
    3. 6.1.3.3. Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2018-2024
  4. 6.1.4. Average price of product's imports, $ US/kg
    1. 6.1.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's imports to Malawi, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
    2. 6.1.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's imports to Malawi by countries, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
2. 6.2. Imports (Mirror Data)
  1. 6.2.1. Imports - Total information
  2. 6.2.2. Imports in kind, kg
    1. 6.2.2.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Malawi in kind, 2018-2024, kg
    2. 6.2.2.2. Dynamics of product's imports in kind to Malawi by countries, 2018-2024, kg
    3. 6.2.2.3. Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2018-2024
  3. 6.2.3. Imports in value, $ US
    1. 6.2.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Malawi in value, 2018-2024, $ US
    2. 6.2.3.2. Dynamics of product's imports in value to Malawi by countries, 2018-2024, $ US
    3. 6.2.3.3. Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2018-2024
  4. 6.2.4. Average price of product's imports, $ US/kg
    1. 6.2.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's imports to Malawi, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
    2. 6.2.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's imports to Malawi by countries, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
7. Exports
1. 7.1. Exports (Direct Data)
  1. 7.1.1. Exports - Total information
  2. 7.1.2. Exports in kind, kg
    1. 7.1.2.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Malawi in kind, 2018-2024, kg
    2. 7.1.2.2. Dynamics of product's exports in kind from Malawi by countries, 2018-2024, kg
    3. 7.1.2.3. Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2018-2024
  3. 7.1.3. Exports in value, $ US
    1. 7.1.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Malawi in value, 2018-2024, $ US
    2. 7.1.3.2. Dynamics of product's exports in value from Malawi by countries, 2018-2024, $ US
    3. 7.1.3.3. Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2018-2024
  4. 7.1.4. Average price of product's exports, $ US/kg
    1. 7.1.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's exports from Malawi, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
    2. 7.1.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's exports from Malawi by countries, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
2. 7.2. Exports (Mirror Data)
  1. 7.2.1. Exports - Total information
  2. 7.2.2. Exports in kind, kg
    1. 7.2.2.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Malawi in kind, 2018-2024, kg
    2. 7.2.2.2. Dynamics of product's exports in kind from Malawi by countries, 2018-2024, kg
    3. 7.2.2.3. Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2018-2024
  3. 7.2.3. Exports in value, $ US
    1. 7.2.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Malawi in value, 2018-2024, $ US
    2. 7.2.3.2. Dynamics of product's exports in value from Malawi by countries, 2018-2024, $ US
    3. 7.2.3.3. Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2018-2024
  4. 7.2.4. Average price of product's exports, $ US/kg
    1. 7.2.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's exports from Malawi, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
    2. 7.2.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's exports from Malawi by countries, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
8. Trade balance
1. 8.1. Trade balance (Direct Data)
  1. 8.1.1. In kind, kg
  2. 8.1.2. In value, $ US
2. 8.2. Trade balance (Mirror Data)
  1. 8.2.1. In kind, kg
  2. 8.2.2. In value, $ US
9. Top buying and selling countries, 2018-2024
1. 9.1. Direct Data
  1. 9.1.1. Import in Value by Countries-buyers
  2. 9.1.2. Export in Value by Countries-suppliers
2. 9.2. Mirror Data
  1. 9.2.1. Import in Value by Countries-buyers
  2. 9.2.2. Export in Value by Countries-suppliers

Production primary sugar crops in Malawi

In kind, 2017-2020, K t

Top producers of primary sugar crops, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

World map of production of primary sugar crops, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

In 2020, Malawi produced 2 959 K t of primary sugar crops, marking a modest year-over-year increase of 2.7%. Over the 2017-2020 period, production grew by 7.4%, with an average annual growth rate of 2.4%. The largest decline occurred in 2019, at 0.8%, while the most significant increase was in 2018, reaching 5.4%.

Annual dynamics of production in Malawi in kind, 2017-2020, K t

Parameter		2018	2019	2020	CAGR
1	Change from last year	5.4%	(0.8%)	2.7%	2.4%

Source: SHEV.io

Exports primary sugar crops from Malawi

Industry analysis indicates that Malawi did not export any primary sugar crops from 2017 to 2020.

Imports primary sugar crops to Malawi

Imports in kind, kg

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Malawi in kind, 2017-2020, kg

Parameter		2018	2019	2020	CAGR
1	Change from last year	n/a	n/a	n/a	-

Source: SHEV.io

From 2017 to 2020, South Africa dominated imports of primary sugar crops to Malawi, accounting for 100.0% of total flows.

Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

World map of product's imports to Malawi in kind, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

Imports in value, $ US

Annual dynamics of product's imports to Malawi in value, 2017-2020, $ US

Parameter		2018	2019	2020	CAGR
1	Change from last year	n/a	n/a	n/a	-

Source: SHEV.io

During 2017-2020, South Africa was the nearly exclusive supplier of primary sugar crops to Malawi in value terms, holding a 100.0% share of total imports.

Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

World map of product's imports to Malawi in value, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io