May NY world sugar #11 (SBK26) on Friday closed up +0.38 (+2.77%), and May London ICE white sugar #5 (SWK26) closed up +8.00 (+1.97%).
Sugar prices settled sharply higher on Friday amid soaring crude oil prices. WTI crude oil (CLJ26) surged more than +12% on Friday to a 2.5-year high, which benefits ethanol prices and could prompt the world’s sugar mills to divert more cane crushing toward ethanol production rather than sugar, thus curbing sugar supplies.
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On February 12, sugar prices plunged to 5.25-year nearest-futures lows on concern that a global sugar surplus will persist. On February 11, analysts from sugar trader Czarnikow said they expect a global sugar surplus of 3.4 MMT in the 2026/27 crop year, following an 8.3 MMT surplus in 2025/26. Also, Green Pool Commodity Specialists said on January 29 that they expect a 2.74 MMT global sugar surplus for 2025/26 and a 156,000 MT surplus for 2026/27. Meanwhile, StoneX said February 13 that it expects a global sugar surplus of 2.9 MMT in 2025/26.
Last Friday, the International Sugar Organization (ISO) forecast a +1.22 MMT (million metric ton) sugar surplus in 2025-26, below an earlier projection of +1.63 AMMT. That follows a -3.46 MMT deficit in 2024-25. ISO said the surplus is being driven by increased sugar production in India, Thailand, and Pakistan. ISO is forecasting a +3.0% y/y rise in global sugar production to 181.3 million MMT in 2025-26.
Signs of lower sugar output in Brazil are supportive of sugar prices, after Unica on February 18 reported that sugar production in Brazil’s Center-South in the second half of January fell by -36% y/y to only 5,000 MT. However, cumulative 2025-26 Center-South sugar output through January is up by +0.9% y/y to 40.24 MMT. Also, the ratio of cane crushed for sugar rose to 50.74% in 2025/26 from 48.14% in 2024/25.
Consulting firm Safras & Mercado said on December 23 that Brazil’s sugar production in 2026/27 will fall by -3.91% to 41.8 MMT from 43.5 MMT expected in 2025/26. The firm expects Brazil’s sugar exports in 2026/27 to fall by -11% y/y to 30 MMT.
The Indian Sugar and Bio-energy Manufacturers Association (ISMA) reported today that India’s 2025-26 sugar output from Oct 1-Feb 28 was up +12% y/y to 24.75 MMT. Last Wednesday, the ISMA projected India’s 2025/26 sugar production at 29.3 MMT, up 12% y/y, below an earlier projection of 30.95 MMT. The ISMA also cut its estimate for sugar used for ethanol production in India to 3.4 MMT from a July forecast of 5 MMT, which may allow India to boost its sugar exports. India is the world’s second-largest sugar producer.
Sugar prices are being undercut amid prospects of higher Indian sugar exports. On February 13, India’s government approved an additional 500,000 MT of sugar for export for the 2025/26 season, on top of the 1.5 MMT approved in November. India introduced a quota system for sugar exports in 2022/23 after late rain reduced production and limited domestic supplies.
The outlook for higher sugar production in Thailand is bearish for prices. The Thai Sugar Millers Corp on October 1 projected that Thailand’s 2025/26 sugar crop will increase by +5% y/y to 10.5 MMT. Thailand is the world’s third-largest sugar producer and the second-largest exporter.
The USDA, in its bi-annual report released on December 16, projected that global 2025/26 sugar production would climb +4.6% y/y to a record 189.318 MMT and that global 2025/26 human sugar consumption would increase +1.4% y/y to a record 177.921 MMT. The USDA also forecast that 2025/26 global sugar ending stocks would fall by -2.9% y/y to 41.188 MMT. The USDA’s Foreign Agricultural Service (FAS) predicted that Brazil’s 2025/26 sugar production would rise by 2.3% y/y to a record 44.7 MMT. FAS also predicted that India’s 2025/26 sugar production would increase by 25% y/y to 35.25 MMT, driven by favorable monsoon rains and increased sugar acreage. In addition, FAS predicted that Thailand’s 2025/26 sugar production will increase by +2% y/y to 10.25 MMT.
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