The Sugar No. 11 contract is the world benchmark contract for raw sugar trading and is available on The Intercontinental Exchange (ICE). The size of each contract is 112,000 pounds. The biggest producer and exporter of sugar in the world is Brazil (21% of total production and 45% of total exports). A significant amount of sugar is also produced in India, European Union, China, Thailand and the United States. The sugar prices displayed in Trading Economics are based on over-the-counter (OTC) and contract for difference (CFD) financial instruments.
Sugar futures in the US eased to below 13.9 US cents, the lowest since April 22, partly influenced by falling oil prices and the ongoing weakness in the Brazilian real. The strong performance of the 2026/27 sugarcane harvest is also putting pressure on prices, due to increased supply and growing inventories. The Brazilian Sugarcane and Bioenergy Industry Association (UNICA) reported that sugar production in Brazil’s Center-South region reached 2.475 million tons in April of the 2026/27 crop year, a volume 55.3% higher than that recorded in the same period of the previous cycle. Strength in Thailand’s sugar exports, the world’s second-largest, also reinforced the perception of a comfortable supply. However, concerns persisted about the potential impact of the El Niño weather phenomenon on the upcoming global sugarcane harvest, particularly in Brazil, India and Thailand.
