Market research

Sugar cane market in Africa

Release date: Mar 28, 2026

Submission: 15 minutes after payment

Research period: 2017-2025

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"Africa" region includes following countries:

Algeria

Libya

Morocco

Sudan

Western Sahara

Tunisia

Egypt

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

From 2018 to 2020, the sugar cane market in South Africa was influenced by key regulatory and policy interventions. The introduction of the Health Promotion Levy (sugar tax) in 2018 aimed to reduce sugar consumption, pressuring demand and leading growers to plan production cuts. Output remained relatively stable, averaging around 98 000–99 000 thousand tons. In 2020, the sector launched the South African Sugar Master Plan to address structural challenges such as high production costs, loadshedding, and civil unrest, which helped moderate a slight dip in production.

Production exhibited volatility between 2021 and 2023, declining to 97 703 thousand tons in 2021, recovering to 99 314 thousand tons in 2022, and then falling sharply to 93 568 thousand tons in 2023. This fluctuation reflected the ongoing impact of economic and environmental pressures on the industry.

In 2024, a drier than average season reduced sugarcane yields by an estimated 10%, particularly in KwaZulu-Natal, prompting the early closure of three sugar mills and limiting export potential. Concurrently, reduced load shedding improved irrigation consistency in Mpumalanga. Market diversification efforts continued with the launch of 'Shesha', a sugarcane-based energy drink made from raw cane juice, providing growers an alternative revenue stream amid persistent regulatory and cost challenges.

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 Africa
  1. 5.1.1. Annual dynamics of production in 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 Algeria in kind, 2024, t
    2. 6.1.2.2. Dynamics of product's exports in kind from Algeria 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 Algeria in value, 2024, K $ US
    2. 6.1.3.2. Dynamics of product's exports in value from Algeria 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 Algeria, 2024, $ US/t
    2. 6.1.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's exports from Algeria 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 Algeria in kind, 2024, t
    2. 6.2.2.2. Dynamics of product's exports in kind from Algeria 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 Algeria in value, 2024, K $ US
    2. 6.2.3.2. Dynamics of product's exports in value from Algeria 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 Algeria, 2024, $ US/t
    2. 6.2.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's exports from Algeria 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 Algeria in kind, 2024, t
    2. 7.1.2.2. Dynamics of product's imports in kind to Algeria 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 Algeria in value, 2024, K $ US
    2. 7.1.3.2. Dynamics of product's imports in value to Algeria 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 Algeria, 2024, $ US/t
    2. 7.1.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's imports to Algeria 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 Algeria in kind, 2024, t
    2. 7.2.2.2. Dynamics of product's imports in kind to Algeria 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 Algeria in value, 2024, K $ US
    2. 7.2.3.2. Dynamics of product's imports in value to Algeria 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 Algeria, 2024, $ US/t
    2. 7.2.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's imports to Algeria 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 sugar cane in Africa

In kind, 2017-2020, K t

Top producers of sugar cane, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

World map of production of sugar cane, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

Sugar cane production in Africa experienced a decline following two consecutive years of growth. In 2019, production reached its peak at 98 908 K t. The following year, in 2020, output was 98 503 K t, showing little change from the previous year. Over the four-year period from 2017 to 2020, production rose by 3.8%, which translates to a compound annual growth rate of 1.2%. The most significant year-on-year increase occurred in 2018, when production grew by 3.6%.

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