Jakarta – It tastes sweet and looks like crystals. Sugar is one of the world’s most sought-after commodities, essential for sweetening food and beverages. According to Statista, global sugar production in 2022/2023 amounted to around 177 million metric tons.
Asia contributed to around one-third of the production volume. South America also accounted for around 21 percent of the total volume.
In South America, Brazil stands out as the world’s top exporter of sugar. Other countries such as Thailand, India, and Australia also play a significant role in the market.
In this article, we’ll look at some of the prominent sugar-exporting countries in the world.
List of Sugar-Exporting Countries in 2023/2024
Below are the top seven sugar-exporting countries in the world as of 2023/2024 according to Statista:
1. Brazil (35.97 million metric tons)
Brazil continues to hold the title of the world’s largest sugar exporter. The South American country exported almost 36 million tons of sugar in 2023/2024.
According to Brazilian Sugar, this figure can be achieved mainly thanks to the large national production of sugar. Yes, Brazil is also one of the largest producers of sugar cane.
Brazil’s primary sugar exports include white sugar, crystal sugar and brown sugar.
2. Thailand (10 million metric tons)
Thailand has established itself as the second largest sugar exporter after Brazil. The country’s sugar export volume reached 10 million metric tons in 2023/2024. However, this figure showed a declining trend compared to the previous year, according to Statista.
Furthermore, the main destinations of raw sugar exports from Thailand include Indonesia, South Korea, Cambodia, Laos, and the Philippines, as quoted by the Observatory of Economic Complexity (OEC).
3. India (4.6 million metric tons)
In 2023/2024, India’s export volume of sugar will be 4.6 million metric tons. It exports this commodity mainly to Sudan, Indonesia, Bangladesh, Somalia, and Saudi Arabia.
In addition to being one of the largest sugar exporters, India is also considered to be the leading country in terms of global sugar consumption. In 2023/2024, the country’s sugar consumption will be equivalent to 31 metric tons, according to Statista.
4. Australia (3.36 million metric tons)
While Australia is known for its impressive production of minerals such as coal, lithium, and iron ore, the Land Down Under is also a major player in the sugar export market. According to Statista, Australia will export around 3.36 million tons of the commodity in 2023/2024.
This is all thanks to the sheer amount of raw sugar it produces each year, which is around 4 million tons, according to the Australian Sugar Milling Council. In addition, about 85 percent of its sugar production is exported to several countries, such as South Korea, Japan, and Indonesia.
5. Guatemala (1.38 million metric tons)
Guatemala is also one of the largest sugar exporters in the world. CZ reported that the Central American country experienced a decline in sugar production in 2023/2024 due to adverse weather conditions and poor yields.
Nevertheless, Guatemala managed to increase the export volume of this commodity. The country exported about 1.38 million tons of sugar in 2023/2024.
6. European Union (1.12 million metric tons)
The European Union (EU) is one of the major exporters in the sugar market. Statista reported that the total export volume of the EU will reach 1.12 million metric tons in 2023/2024.
For your information, according to the EU’s official website, the Union plays an essential role as the world’s leading producer of beet sugar, accounting for about 50 percent of the global amount. The EU also has a significant refining industry to process imported raw cane sugar.
7. United Arab Emirates (620,000 metric tons)
Last but not least, the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a sugar exporting country with approximately 620,000 metric tons of exported sugar in 2023/2024. According to the OEC, the country generated revenues of US$574 million from the export of raw sugar in 2022.
The main destinations for UAE sugar exports are countries in the Middle East and Africa, including Sudan, Libya, Israel, and Iran.
From Brazil to the UAE, each of these seven countries is a major contributor to the global sugar market. For more on this topic, read our latest list of the top sugar-importing countries in the world.
