Market research

Primary sugar crops market in Sub-Saharan Africa

Release date: Mar 30, 2026

Submission: 15 minutes after payment

Research period: 2017-2025

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"Sub-Saharan Africa" region includes following countries:

Cabo Verde

Benin

Gambia

Ghana

Guinea

Côte d'Ivoire

Liberia

Mali

Mauritania

Niger

Nigeria

Guinea-Bissau

Saint Helena, Ascension and Tristan da Cunha

Senegal

Sierra Leone

Togo

Burkina Faso

British Indian Ocean Territory

Burundi

Comoros

Mayotte

Ethiopia

Eritrea

French Southern Territories

Djibouti

Kenya

Madagascar

Malawi

Mauritius

Mozambique

Reunion

Rwanda

Seychelles

Somalia

Zimbabwe

South Sudan

Uganda

Tanzania

Zambia

Angola

Cameroon

Central African Republic

Chad

Congo

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Equatorial Guinea

Gabon

Sao Tome and Principe

Botswana

Lesotho

Namibia

South Africa

Eswatini

Earlier Report Observations

Production of primary sugar crops in Sub-Saharan Africa increased from 75 859 thousand tons in 2018 to 77 616 thousand tons in 2019, then eased to 76 721 thousand tons in 2020. The introduction of the Health Promotion Levy on sugar in April 2018 aimed at reducing sugar consumption depressed local demand and led to the permanent closure of two sugar mills. Industry efforts to diversify into ethanol and alternative products helped counter the levy's impact. In 2020, the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted supply chains, while the South African Sugarcane Value Chain Master Plan was launched to promote crop diversification and value chain development.

Output stabilized at 76 841 thousand tons in 2021, supported by a 13.4% growth in the agricultural sector and record export activity. Production rose to 78 611 thousand tons in 2022 despite rising input costs and ongoing load shedding challenges. In 2023, production fell sharply to 74 490 thousand tons as the sugar tax reduced land under cane cultivation, while load shedding, high input cost inflation, and business rescue proceedings at major mills like Tongaat Hulett further strained operations.

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
1. 4.1. In kind
  1. 4.1.1. Production, 2018-2023
  2. 4.1.2. Imports, 2024
  3. 4.1.3. Exports, 2024
5. Production
1. 5.1. Production in Sub-Saharan Africa
  1. 5.1.1. Annual dynamics of production in Sub-Saharan Africa in kind, 2018-2023, K t
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. Exports
1. 6.1. Exports (Direct Data*)
  1. 6.1.1. Exports - Total information
  2. 6.1.2. Exports in kind, t
    1. 6.1.2.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Cabo Verde in kind, 2024, t
    2. 6.1.2.2. Dynamics of product's exports in kind from Cabo Verde by countries, 2024, t
    3. 6.1.2.3. Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2024
  3. 6.1.3. Exports in value, K $ US
    1. 6.1.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Cabo Verde in value, 2024, K $ US
    2. 6.1.3.2. Dynamics of product's exports in value from Cabo Verde by countries, 2024, K $ US
    3. 6.1.3.3. Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2024
  4. 6.1.4. Average price of product's exports, $ US/t
    1. 6.1.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's exports from Cabo Verde, 2024, $ US/t
    2. 6.1.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's exports from Cabo Verde by countries, 2024, $ US/t
2. 6.2. Exports (Mirror Data)
  1. 6.2.1. Exports - Total information
  2. 6.2.2. Exports in kind, t
    1. 6.2.2.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Cabo Verde in kind, 2024, t
    2. 6.2.2.2. Dynamics of product's exports in kind from Cabo Verde by countries, 2024, t
    3. 6.2.2.3. Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2024
  3. 6.2.3. Exports in value, K $ US
    1. 6.2.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Cabo Verde in value, 2024, K $ US
    2. 6.2.3.2. Dynamics of product's exports in value from Cabo Verde by countries, 2024, K $ US
    3. 6.2.3.3. Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2024
  4. 6.2.4. Average price of product's exports, $ US/t
    1. 6.2.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's exports from Cabo Verde, 2024, $ US/t
    2. 6.2.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's exports from Cabo Verde by countries, 2024, $ US/t
7. Imports
1. 7.1. Imports (Direct Data*)
  1. 7.1.1. Imports - Total information
  2. 7.1.2. Imports in kind, t
    1. 7.1.2.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Cabo Verde in kind, 2024, t
    2. 7.1.2.2. Dynamics of product's imports in kind to Cabo Verde by countries, 2024, t
    3. 7.1.2.3. Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2024
  3. 7.1.3. Imports in value, K $ US
    1. 7.1.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Cabo Verde in value, 2024, K $ US
    2. 7.1.3.2. Dynamics of product's imports in value to Cabo Verde by countries, 2024, K $ US
    3. 7.1.3.3. Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2024
  4. 7.1.4. Average price of product's imports, $ US/t
    1. 7.1.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's imports to Cabo Verde, 2024, $ US/t
    2. 7.1.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's imports to Cabo Verde by countries, 2024, $ US/t
2. 7.2. Imports (Mirror Data)
  1. 7.2.1. Imports - Total information
  2. 7.2.2. Imports in kind, t
    1. 7.2.2.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Cabo Verde in kind, 2024, t
    2. 7.2.2.2. Dynamics of product's imports in kind to Cabo Verde by countries, 2024, t
    3. 7.2.2.3. Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2024
  3. 7.2.3. Imports in value, K $ US
    1. 7.2.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Cabo Verde in value, 2024, K $ US
    2. 7.2.3.2. Dynamics of product's imports in value to Cabo Verde by countries, 2024, K $ US
    3. 7.2.3.3. Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2024
  4. 7.2.4. Average price of product's imports, $ US/t
    1. 7.2.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's imports to Cabo Verde, 2024, $ US/t
    2. 7.2.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's imports to Cabo Verde by countries, 2024, $ US/t
8. Trade balance
1. 8.1. Trade balance (Direct Data)
  1. 8.1.1. In kind, t
  2. 8.1.2. In value, K $ US
2. 8.2. Trade balance (Mirror Data)
  1. 8.2.1. In kind, t
  2. 8.2.2. In value, K $ US
9. Top buying and selling countries, 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 Sub-Saharan Africa

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

Sub-Saharan Africa's production of primary sugar crops saw a decline after two consecutive years of growth. In 2019, output reached its peak at 77 616 K t, but then fell by 1.2% to 76 721 K t in 2020. Over the broader period from 2017 to 2020, production grew by 5.8% overall, which translates to an average annual increase of 1.9%. The most significant yearly growth occurred in 2018, with a 4.6% rise.

Annual dynamics of production in Sub-Saharan Africa in kind, 2017-2020, K t