The global food and beverage industry depends on sugar. It is an essential industrial commodity that powers the production of ethanol and pharmaceuticals in addition to being consumed for basic purposes. Finding the best deal is no longer the only way for international procurement managers to ensure a trustworthy supply chain. It has to do with reducing risk. The market is extremely crowded. Availability is often disrupted by changing geopolitical policies and weather anomalies. The biggest sugar exporters and the top countries handling the biggest sugar volumes globally are ranked in this comprehensive guide. We assess them according to their proportionate global trade share, total monetary value, and export tonnage. The data period under analysis includes the completed customs reports for 2024–2025 as well as projections for Q1 2026, providing an accurate, business-to-business (B2B) sourcing environment.
To curate a list that brings genuine value to bulk commodity buyers, we moved beyond simple production metrics. Evaluating global sugar production does not always equate to exporting it; while massive producers like China and the US hold significant weight in the sugar industry, they are also massive importers. Our methodology relies on hard trade data that reflects actual reliability in the global supply chain.
Without a doubt, Brazil sugar controls the global trade , cementing its status as not only the largest sugar exporting country, but also the biggest sugar producing country and largest sugar producing country overall. Brazilian mills, which operate on a never-before-seen scale, have a unique advantage: the flexibility to switch between sugar and ethanol crystallisation in response to commodity premiums. Brazil continues to be the non-negotiable source for large, continuous supply chains of raw Very High Polarisation (VHP) sugar for international procurement. Despite having a highly advanced logistics network, buyers need to plan ahead for seasonal bottlenecks at the Port of Santos.
For international procurement, India presents a dilemma. Its export footprint is largely determined by domestic price-stabilization policies, despite its enormous production capacity. As a result, India can quickly switch from flooding the market with competitive white sugar to imposing stringent export restrictions. They provide extremely favourable freight economics, and a highly competitive Indian sugar price makes them excellent at delivering standard-quality sugar to price-sensitive markets in the Middle East and East Africa. However, in order to reduce supply chain risks, importers need to keep a close eye on government quota announcements.
The strategic exporting powerhouse of the ASEAN region is Thailand. Thailand is a committed, export-focused origin because, in contrast to India, its domestic consumption is small in comparison to its output. They produce high-quality refined white sugar using advanced milling technology (ICUMSA 45). For purchasers in South Korea, Indonesia, and Japan, proximity offers quick transit times. Although droughts brought on by El Niño pose a constant supply risk, contract defaults are extremely uncommon in Thailand due to its stable regulatory framework.
Germany has become a major exporter of beetroot sugar since the EU production quotas were abolished. German suppliers supply the food, beverage, and pharmaceutical industries with incredibly pure, refined white sugar, aiming for the premium tier. The emphasis is solely on carefully documented, retail-ready, or industrial-grade refined sucrose; buyers won't find raw sugar here. Because of their strict adherence to EU safety regulations, complete traceability, and incredibly effective logistics networks, German exporters are able to command reasonable price premiums.
Together with Germany, France is a major producer of beetroot sugar in the EU. France is excellent at carrying out intricate, long-term international contracts because of its well-capitalized, deeply integrated agricultural cooperatives. High-value products like liquid sugars, pharmaceutical-grade sucrose, and organic varieties are the focus of their cutting-edge refineries. French exporters routinely control the deficit markets of Francophone West Africa and Southern Europe by taking advantage of well-established shipping routes and advantageous trade agreements.
Australia operates as a precision instrument within the global trade, exporting roughly 80% of its total yield. The sector is highly consolidated, heavily mechanized, and fiercely competitive. Asian refineries highly prize Australian raw sugar for its consistent polarization and exceptional quality. Furthermore, Queensland’s world-class bulk export terminals guarantee rapid vessel turnaround times. While exposed to seasonal cyclone risks, Australia remains a premium, low-risk origin completely insulated from erratic political interventions.
Mexico's export ranking is heavily skewed by its singular, massive bilateral relationship with the United States. Operating under the USMCA and strict suspension agreements, Mexico serves as the primary external supplier to the tightly regulated US market, directly complementing domestic sugar manufacturers in USA. While mills produce both standard raw and semi-refined "estándar" sugar, sourcing from Mexico is often economically unviable for buyers outside North America. The premium prices achieved within the protected US market naturally restrict broader international trade.
Punching far above its weight class, Guatemala is Central America's premier sugar exporter. The industry is defined by massive, privately held estates utilizing highly integrated processing and sustainable bagasse cogeneration. Due to its advantageous location near the Panama Canal, Guatemala offers very competitive freight rates to the Pacific and Atlantic basins. Because it maintains stringent quality controls and is overseen by a highly organised producers association (ASAZGUA), the industry is the Americas' preferred source of raw sugar.
Including China requires strategic nuance. While structurally a net importer of raw sugar, China possesses immense coastal refining capacity. They aggressively import bulk raw sugar, refine it to high specifications, and export the finished white sugar to neighboring ASEAN markets. When Chinese refining margins are favourable, this offers procurement managers a special opportunity for arbitrage. Buyers must, however, exercise caution when navigating a market dominated by state-owned businesses and abrupt changes in Beijing's strategic reserve policies.
The majority of Pakistan's exports are seasonal and opportunistic. The country alternates between importing and exporting, and its imports and exports are closely linked to domestic politics and agricultural subsidies. In order to clear excess inventory during bumper crops brought on by favourable monsoons, the government permits certain export quotas. Pakistan offers extremely competitive white crystal sugar during these short windows, primarily targeting landlocked neighbours like Afghanistan and maritime Middle Eastern buyers. Buyers must act quickly to secure contracts before the export window is closed due to domestic inflation concerns.
| Rank | Country | Export Volume (MT) | Export Value (USD) | Market Share % | Major Buyers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Brazil | 28.0M - 30.0M | $18.8B | ~48.0% | China, Indonesia, India, Algeria |
| 2 | India | 6.0M - 10.0M | $6.3B | ~11.0% | Djibouti, Somalia, UAE, Bangladesh |
| 3 | Thailand | 7.0M - 9.0M | $3.7B | ~6.5% | Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia |
| 4 | Germany | 3.0M - 4.0M | $3.5B | ~6.0% | EU States, Middle East, UK |
| 5 | France | 2.5M - 3.5M | $2.9B | ~4.3% | Spain, Italy, UK, West Africa |
| 6 | Australia | 3.3M - 4.0M | $1.6B | ~3.0% | Japan, South Korea, Indonesia |
| 7 | Mexico | 1.5M - 2.0M | $2.3B | ~3.4% | United States |
| 8 | Guatemala | 1.5M - 1.8M | $1.0B | ~2.0% | Canada, US, Taiwan, Chile |
| 9 | China | 1.0M - 1.5M | $2.5B | ~4.0% | Mongolia, ASEAN (Refined) |
| 10 | Pakistan | 1.0M - 2.0M | ~$800M | ~1.5% | Afghanistan, Middle East |
Right now, the global sugar market is going through a very difficult transition. The following macro-level changes must be taken into consideration in procurement strategies:
Sourcing sugar in bulk requires precision in contracting and a deep understanding of commodity grading. A slight miscalculation in specifications can render a multi-million dollar shipment useless for your refining or manufacturing needs.
Brazil is the largest exporter of sugar by a massive margin, accounting for nearly 48% of the world's global export volume and shipping roughly 30 million metric tonnes annually.
Brazil possesses vast arable land in its Center-South region, an optimal climate for sugarcane, and massive, technologically advanced mills. Crucially, Brazilian mills have the agility to shift production between sugar and ethanol based on global price premiums, maximizing their export profitability.
The top importers globally include Indonesia (a massive buyer of raw sugar for its domestic refineries), China, the United States, and major Middle Eastern refining hubs like Saudi Arabia and the UAE.
The overarching HS Code for sugar is 1701 (Cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose, in solid form). This breaks down further, for example, 1701.11 for raw cane sugar and 1701.99 for refined white sugar.