SA sugarcane growers set for improved harvest but concerns remain over impact of tariffs
They're expecting a significantly improved harvest this season, following an increase in rainfall compared to last year’s drier conditions.
A sugarcane field belonging to the Tongaat Hulett group. Picture: tongaat.com
CAPE TOWN - There's some good news for South Africa’s sugarcane growers.
They're expecting a significantly improved harvest this season, following an increase in rainfall compared to last year’s drier conditions.
The current estimate for the 2025 season stands at 17.7 million tons of sugarcane, up from 16.47 million tons in the previous year.
However, the SA Canegrowers said the industry’s economic outlook remained under serious threat due to delays in adjusting South Africa’s import tariff.
SA Canegrowers chairman, Higgins Mdluli, said: "Cheap foreign sugar is flooding into South Africa at below the cost of local production. South African tariffs need to be updated to protect our local growers. The delay in adjusting the sugar import tariff to reflect the world sugar price is undermining the competitiveness of producers in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal."
Mdluli said the likelihood of a 30% tariff on South African products entering the US further disadvantages South African sugar on the global market.
"We urge the government to prioritise a new trade agreement with the US that safeguards our export potential."