Market research

Sugar cane market in Malawi

Release date: Mar 28, 2026

Submission: 15 minutes after payment

Research period: 2017-2025

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File format: docx, xlsx

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Earlier Report Observations

From 2018 to 2020, Malawi's sugar cane production faced constraints from operational and supply chain issues. In 2018, Illovo Sugar Malawi experienced plant malfunctions and rain delays during harvesting, compounded by power generation problems that restricted irrigation for cane estates. The following year, delayed payments to cane growers reduced feedstock supply to mills, contributing to a slight production dip to 2 881 thousand tons. Improved security measures against cane theft helped support a recovery to 2 959 thousand tons in 2020.

Production peaked at 2 970 thousand tons in 2021 before Cyclone Freddy severely damaged crops in 2022, causing output to fall to 2 896 thousand tons. The cyclone's impact continued into 2023, driving production down further to 2 649 thousand tons. In response to the shortage, Salima Sugar Company commenced operations in 2023 by allocating 1,000 hectares for cane planting, while the government issued sugar import licenses to ease supply. New market entrants like Ntalimanja Holdings expanded the player base, though their immediate effect on total volume was limited during this period of weather-related decline.

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 sugar cane in Malawi

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

Malawi produced 2 959 thousand tonnes of sugar cane in 2020, marking a 2.7% increase from the previous year. Over the period from 2017 to 2020, production grew by 7.4%, which translates to an average annual growth rate of 2.4%. The most significant production decline occurred in 2019, with a drop of 0.8%, while the largest increase was recorded in 2018, at 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 sugar cane from Malawi

Market research indicates that Malawi did not export any sugar cane between 2017 and 2020.

Imports sugar cane 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, Malawi's imports of sugar cane were highly concentrated, with South Africa accounting for 100.0% of all imports in kind.

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 the 2017–2020 period, Malawi's import value structure showed a strong reliance on South Africa, which represented 100.0% of total import flows in monetary terms.

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