Sugar imports in the first five months of 2026 are nearly double what they were in the same period last year, according to SA Canegrowers on Monday..
South Africa's sugar industry has warned that surging imports are displacing locally produced sugar from supermarket shelves and threatening the livelihoods of more than one million people, prompting renewed calls for the government to urgently revise the country's sugar tariff framework.
New figures released by SA Canegrowers show that sugar imports almost doubled during the first five months of 2026, intensifying pressure on local growers and millers already grappling with falling domestic sales and weaker prices.
According to South African Revenue Service (Sars) data, South Africa imported 94,984 tons of sugar between January and May this year, compared with 55,213 tons over the same period in 2025. The increase follows an already sharp rise in imports last year and marks a dramatic jump from just 1,491 tons imported during the first five months of 2022.
The industry body said the surge highlights how South Africa's current tariff protection has failed to keep pace with developments in global sugar markets.
