Market research

Sugar cane market in Costa Rica

Release date: Mar 28, 2026

Submission: 15 minutes after payment

Research period: 2017-2025

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Earlier Report Observations

From 2018 to 2020, the sugar cane market in Costa Rica operated under a closed regulatory framework established by the LAICA association and Law No. 7818, which legally enabled a monopoly system controlling production quotas and prices. Despite a fall in world sugar prices in 2019 that pressured local mills and led to some closures, market volume remained stable around 4 000 thousand tonnes before increasing to 4 194 thousand tonnes in 2020.

After 2020, market volume entered a downward trend, declining to 3 994 thousand tonnes in 2021 and further to 3 897 thousand tonnes in 2022. The drop accelerated in 2022 when front-of-pack labeling for high-sugar products was promoted by the UN and the Pan American Health Organization, leading to reduced consumer purchases of sugary items and lower demand for sugar cane. By 2023, the market had contracted to 3 422 thousand tonnes.

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 Costa Rica
  1. 5.1.1. Annual dynamics of production in Costa Rica in kind, 2018-2023, K t
  2. 5.1.2. Annual dynamics of production in Costa Rica 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. 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 Costa Rica in kind, 2018-2024, t
    2. 6.1.2.2. Dynamics of product's exports in kind from Costa Rica by countries, 2018-2024, t
    3. 6.1.2.3. Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2018-2024
  3. 6.1.3. Exports in value, K $ US
    1. 6.1.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Costa Rica in value, 2018-2024, K $ US
    2. 6.1.3.2. Dynamics of product's exports in value from Costa Rica by countries, 2018-2024, K $ US
    3. 6.1.3.3. Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2018-2024
  4. 6.1.4. Average price of product's exports, $ US/kg
    1. 6.1.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's exports from Costa Rica, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
    2. 6.1.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's exports from Costa Rica by countries, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
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 Costa Rica in kind, 2018-2024, t
    2. 6.2.2.2. Dynamics of product's exports in kind from Costa Rica by countries, 2018-2024, t
    3. 6.2.2.3. Structure of product's exports in kind by countries, 2018-2024
  3. 6.2.3. Exports in value, K $ US
    1. 6.2.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's exports from Costa Rica in value, 2018-2024, K $ US
    2. 6.2.3.2. Dynamics of product's exports in value from Costa Rica by countries, 2018-2024, K $ US
    3. 6.2.3.3. Structure of product's exports in value by countries, 2018-2024
  4. 6.2.4. Average price of product's exports, $ US/kg
    1. 6.2.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's exports from Costa Rica, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
    2. 6.2.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's exports from Costa Rica by countries, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
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 Costa Rica in kind, 2018-2024, t
    2. 7.1.2.2. Dynamics of product's imports in kind to Costa Rica by countries, 2018-2024, t
    3. 7.1.2.3. Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2018-2024
  3. 7.1.3. Imports in value, K $ US
    1. 7.1.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Costa Rica in value, 2018-2024, K $ US
    2. 7.1.3.2. Dynamics of product's imports in value to Costa Rica by countries, 2018-2024, K $ US
    3. 7.1.3.3. Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2018-2024
  4. 7.1.4. Average price of product's imports, $ US/kg
    1. 7.1.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's imports to Costa Rica, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
    2. 7.1.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's imports to Costa Rica by countries, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
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 Costa Rica in kind, 2018-2024, t
    2. 7.2.2.2. Dynamics of product's imports in kind to Costa Rica by countries, 2018-2024, t
    3. 7.2.2.3. Structure of product's imports in kind by countries, 2018-2024
  3. 7.2.3. Imports in value, K $ US
    1. 7.2.3.1. Annual dynamics of product's imports to Costa Rica in value, 2018-2024, K $ US
    2. 7.2.3.2. Dynamics of product's imports in value to Costa Rica by countries, 2018-2024, K $ US
    3. 7.2.3.3. Structure of product's imports in value by countries, 2018-2024
  4. 7.2.4. Average price of product's imports, $ US/kg
    1. 7.2.4.1. Annual dynamics of average price of product's imports to Costa Rica, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
    2. 7.2.4.2. Dynamics of average price of product's imports to Costa Rica by countries, 2018-2024, $ US/kg
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, 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 sugar cane in Costa Rica

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

Costa Rica's sugar cane production reached 4 195 thousand tonnes in 2020, showing a modest 4.6% increase from 2019. The lowest production level was recorded in 2018 at 4 008 thousand tonnes, which represented a 3.6% decline from the previous year.

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

Parameter		2018	2019	2020	CAGR
1	Change from last year	(3.6%)	0.0%	4.6%	0.3%

Source: SHEV.io

Exports sugar cane from Costa Rica

Exports in kind, t

Sugar cane exports from Costa Rica grew for the third consecutive year in 2020, reaching 705.6 tonnes with a 15.2% year-over-year increase. From 2017 to 2020, exports rose by 51%, translating to an annualized growth rate of 14.7%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Costa Rica in kind, 2017-2020, t

Parameter		2018	2019	2020	CAGR
1	Change from last year	5.6%	24.2%	15.2%	14.7%

Source: SHEV.io

From 2017 to 2020, Canada and the United States were the primary destinations for Costa Rica's sugar cane exports, together accounting for 85.6% of total export volume, while other partners made up the remaining share.

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

Source: SHEV.io

World map of product's exports from Costa Rica in kind, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io

Exports in value, K $ US

Following two years of growth, Costa Rica's sugar cane export value declined in 2020 to 259.0 thousand US dollars, a 34.0% drop from the previous year. Over the 2017-2020 period, export value decreased by 21.9%, with a compound annual growth rate of -7.9%. The peak value was recorded in 2019 at 392.5 thousand US dollars, while the largest increase occurred in 2018 at 13.5%.

Annual dynamics of product's exports from Costa Rica in value, 2017-2020, K $ US

Parameter		2018	2019	2020	CAGR
1	Change from last year	13.5%	4.3%	(34.0%)	(7.9%)

Source: SHEV.io

During 2017-2020, Canada and the United States were the main buyers of Costa Rican sugar cane in value terms, jointly representing 83.8% of total export revenue, with other partners contributing a smaller portion.

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

Source: SHEV.io

World map of product's exports from Costa Rica in value, 2017-2020

Source: SHEV.io