Overall, the value of sugar imports for all buying countries declined by an average -14.8% since 2015 when sugar purchases cost $23.9 billion. Year over year, imported sugar depreciated by -15.4% from 2018 to 2019.
From a continental perspective, Asian countries consumed the highest dollar worth of imported sugar during 2019 with purchases valued at $8.8 billion or 43.1% of the global total. In second place were African importers at 21.7% while 21.4% of worldwide sugar imports were delivered to Europe. North American nations took delivery of 10.3% of globally imported sugar, trailed by Latin America (2.8%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean then Oceania (0.7%) led by New Zealand.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for sugar is 1701. This includes solid-form cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose.
Sugar Imports by Country
Top 15
Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of sugar during 2019.
- United States: US$1.7 billion (8.1% of total imported sugar)
- China: $1.1 billion (5.5%)
- Indonesia: $1 billion (4.9%)
- Italy: $728.7 million (3.6%)
- Algeria: $646.1 million (3.2%)
- Bangladesh: $641.6 million (3.1%)
- Malaysia: $629.9 million (3.1%)
- South Korea: $629.7 million (3.1%)
- Spain: $569.1 million (2.8%)
- Sudan: $468.1 million (2.3%)
- Nigeria: $463.4 million (2.3%)
- Saudi Arabia: $425.4 million (2.1%)
- Japan: $424.3 million (2.1%)
- Canada: $413 million (2%)
- Morocco: $411.6 million (2%)
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for sugar since 2015 were: Saudi Arabia (up 29.6%), Morocco (up 19.3%), Spain (up 15.9%) and Canada (up 9.3%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported sugar purchases were led by: China (down -36.8%), Bangladesh (down -22%), Nigeria (down -20.8%) and Indonesia (down -19.9%).
The listed 15 countries purchased about half (50.2%) of all sugar imported in 2019.
USA
Sugar Imports into the United States
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which America imported the highest dollar value worth of sugar during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Mexico: US$569.9 million (down -30.6% from 2015)
- Brazil: $179.1 million (up 1.6%)
- Guatemala: $123.5 million (down -0.9%)
- Dominican Republic: $97.9 million (down -4%)
- Colombia: $96.4 million (up 86.7%)
- El Salvador: $75.5 million (up 1.7%)
- Australia: $68.1 million (up 18%)
- Argentina: $55.3 million (up 67.8%)
- Peru: $47 million (up 255.3%)
- Costa Rica: $46.9 million (down -27.4%)
- Nicaragua: $41.5 million (up 22.2%)
- Philippines: $40.3 million (up 29.1%)
- Paraguay: $25.6 million (down -50%)
- Panama: $25.2 million (up 20.5%)
- Honduras: $23.1 million (down -27%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 91.4% of sugar imported by the United States in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of sugar to the United States since 2015 were: Peru (up 255.3%), Colombia (up 86.7%), Argentina (up 67.8%) and Philippines (up 29.1%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their sugar supplied to American importers included: Paraguay (down -50.), Mexico (down -30.6%), Costa Rica (down -27.4%) and Honduras (down -27%).
Overall, the value of US imported sugar were fell by an average -9.5% from all supplying countries since 2015 when sugar purchased cost $1.8 billion.
China
Sugar Imports into China
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which China imported the highest dollar value worth of sugar during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Brazil: US$437.2 million (down -53.7% from 2015)
- Thailand: $239.5 million (up 2%)
- Cuba: $158 million (down -26.2%)
- South Korea: $76.3 million (down -20.4%)
- Australia: $56.9 million (down -52.6%)
- South Africa: $43.2 million (down 0%)
- El Salvador: $36.6 million (up 2.8%)
- Guatemala: $31.8 million (down -73.2%)
- Nicaragua: $12.9 million (down 0%)
- India: $10.9 million (up 2030.8%)
- Cambodia: $9.5 million (up 811.8%)
- Malaysia: $4.9 million (up 29.8%)
- Mauritius: $1.2 million (up 119.4%)
- Germany: $743,000 (up 212.2%)
- United States: $420,000 (up 241.5%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 99.9% of sugar imported by China in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of sugar to China since 2015 were: India (up 2,031%), Cambodia (up 811.8%), United States (up 241.5%) and Germany (up 212.2%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their sugar supplied to Chinese importers included: Guatemala (down -73.2%), Brazil (down -53.7%), Australia (down -52.6%) and Cuba (down -26.2%).
Overall, the value of China’s imported sugar declined by an average -36.8% from all supplying countries since 2015 when sugar purchased cost $1.8 billion.
Indonesia
Sugar Imports into Indonesia
Below are the 9 suppliers from which Indonesia imported the highest dollar value worth of sugar during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- Thailand: US$1.5 billion (up 110.6% from 2015)
- Australia: $314.7 million (down -20.6%)
- Brazil: $24.5 million (down -87.6%)
- South Korea: $5.0 million (up 5.9%)
- Malaysia: $460,000 (down -77.3%)
- Singapore: $228,000 (up 338.5%)
- Germany: $133,000 (up 280.0%)
- United States: $109,000 (up 5,350%)
- Japan: $35,000 (up 1,067%)
The listed 9 countries shipped 100% of sugar imported by Indonesia in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of sugar to Indonesia since 2015 were: United States (up 5350.0%), Japan (up 1066.7%), Singapore (up 338.5%) and Germany (up 280%).
Leading the decliners was Brazil via its -87.6% reduction over the 5-year period.
Overall, the value of Indonesia’s imported sugar increased by an average 35.4% from all supplying countries since 2015 when sugar purchased cost $1.3 billion.
Italy
Sugar Imports into Italy
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which Italy imported the highest dollar value worth of sugar during 2019. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country since 2015.
- France: US$251.3 million (up 15% from 2015)
- Germany: $205.9 million (up 43.1%)
- Netherlands: $56.9 million (up 118.5%)
- Mauritius: $27.4 million (down -62.1%)
- Eswatini: $26.4 million (up 263.5%)
- United Kingdom: $21.1 million (down -25.2%)
- Croatia: $19 million (down -2.3%)
- Guatemala: $17.2 million (up 1,908%)
- Laos: $13.4 million (up 1,809%)
- Belgium: $11.5 million (down -3.9%)
- South Africa: $10.3 million (up 48,757%)
- Mozambique: $8.4 million (down -77.1%)
- Czech Republic: $6.3 million (up 405.5%)
- India: $5.9 million (up 591,600%)
- Austria: $5.4 million (down -66.1%)
The listed 15 countries shipped 94.2% of sugar imported by Italy in 2019.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of sugar to Italy since 2015 were: India (up 591,600%), South Africa (up 48,757%), Guatemala (up 1,908%) and Laos (up 1,809%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their sugar supplied to Italian importers included: Mozambique (down -77.1%), Austria (down -66.1%), Mauritius (down -62.1%) and the United Kingdom (down -25.2%).
Overall, the value of Italy’s imported sugar decreased by an average -4.4% from all supplying countries since 2015 when sugar purchased cost $698 million.
Searchable List of Sugar Importing Countries in 2019
You can change the presentation order by clicking the triangle icon at the top of any of the columns below. An entry of 0% in the right-most column means that no 2018 data was available.
| Rank | Importer | Sugar Imports (US$) | 2018-19 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | United States | $1,656,975,000 | -0.2% |
| 2. | China | $1,121,332,000 | +8.9% |
| 3. | Indonesia | $1,006,196,000 | -44.1% |
| 4. | Italy | $728,675,000 | +0.9% |
| 5. | Algeria | $646,129,000 | -6.1% |
| 6. | Bangladesh | $641,638,000 | +14.4% |
| 7. | Malaysia | $629,931,000 | -14.5% |
| 8. | South Korea | $629,688,000 | -4.5% |
| 9. | Spain | $569,147,000 | +3.6% |
| 10. | Sudan | $468,060,000 | +1.2% |
| 11. | Nigeria | $463,387,000 | +3.8% |
| 12. | Saudi Arabia | $425,426,000 | -16% |
| 13. | Japan | $424,281,000 | -0.4% |
| 14. | Canada | $412,960,000 | -1% |
| 15. | Morocco | $411,589,000 | +10.2% |
| 16. | Iran | $401,214,000 | +290.6% |
| 17. | United Kingdom | $392,379,000 | -7.4% |
| 18. | Belgium | $312,833,000 | -26.6% |
| 19. | India | $307,444,000 | -47.3% |
| 20. | South Africa | $303,209,000 | -0.9% |
| 21. | Germany | $302,890,000 | -11.9% |
| 22. | Iraq | $270,935,000 | -25.9% |
| 23. | Somalia | $265,026,000 | +37.4% |
| 24. | United Arab Emirates | $254,292,000 | -50.8% |
| 25. | Egypt | $245,111,000 | -54.1% |
| 26. | Taiwan | $228,774,000 | -40.3% |
| 27. | Cambodia | $227,586,000 | +931.8% |
| 28. | Kenya | $220,883,000 | +10.6% |
| 29. | France | $210,859,000 | -12.8% |
| 30. | Yemen | $205,810,000 | +3% |
| 31. | Romania | $193,152,000 | +12.2% |
| 32. | Sri Lanka | $171,574,000 | -1.8% |
| 33. | Chile | $171,559,000 | -10% |
| 34. | Netherlands | $164,134,000 | -21.2% |
| 35. | Kazakhstan | $156,431,000 | -13.3% |
| 36. | Israel | $153,380,000 | +2.7% |
| 37. | Portugal | $152,940,000 | -10.3% |
| 38. | Angola | $143,921,000 | -6.1% |
| 39. | Greece | $136,987,000 | +0.4% |
| 40. | Azerbaijan | $126,673,000 | +46.4% |
| 41. | Singapore | $124,021,000 | +3.7% |
| 42. | Philippines | $112,365,000 | -42.9% |
| 43. | Djibouti | $112,183,000 | -41% |
| 44. | Hong Kong | $106,527,000 | +15.1% |
| 45. | Bulgaria | $105,976,000 | +13.4% |
| 46. | Russia | $99,624,000 | -30.1% |
| 47. | Ghana | $97,032,000 | -45.1% |
| 48. | Ivory Coast | $96,359,000 | +553.8% |
| 49. | Uzbekistan | $91,590,000 | -72.8% |
| 50. | Vietnam | $89,686,000 | -2.6% |
| 51. | Poland | $88,765,000 | +32.7% |
| 52. | Laos | $88,036,000 | +73.2% |
| 53. | Peru | $87,048,000 | -26.4% |
| 54. | Togo | $85,626,000 | -29.1% |
| 55. | Austria | $84,000,000 | +1.2% |
| 56. | New Zealand | $83,445,000 | -5.5% |
| 57. | Myanmar | $83,358,000 | -85.8% |
| 58. | Hungary | $82,390,000 | +3.1% |
| 59. | Tanzania | $80,546,000 | -34.8% |
| 60. | Democr. Rep. Congo | $79,104,000 | -17.2% |
| 61. | Jordan | $78,578,000 | -46.3% |
| 62. | Mauritania | $75,451,000 | +68.7% |
| 63. | Syrian Arab Republic | $74,402,000 | -51.1% |
| 64. | Ireland | $74,167,000 | -14.6% |
| 65. | Venezuela | $72,969,000 | -57.7% |
| 66. | Tajikistan | $72,633,000 | +28.6% |
| 67. | Colombia | $70,989,000 | +45.3% |
| 68. | Guinea | $70,432,000 | +12.1% |
| 69. | Turkey | $65,091,000 | -21.5% |
| 70. | Norway | $60,925,000 | -13.4% |
| 71. | Afghanistan | $59,762,000 | -70.5% |
| 72. | Madagascar | $59,604,000 | +41.4% |
| 73. | Namibia | $57,045,000 | +4.4% |
| 74. | Tunisia | $55,265,000 | -60.4% |
| 75. | Croatia | $53,677,000 | +190.6% |
| 76. | Czech Republic | $53,325,000 | +4.6% |
| 77. | Gambia | $51,814,000 | +75.3% |
| 78. | Georgia | $50,346,000 | -19.4% |
| 79. | Benin | $48,749,000 | -38.4% |
| 80. | Slovenia | $47,430,000 | +9.5% |
| 81. | Finland | $46,151,000 | -1.6% |
| 82. | Senegal | $45,625,000 | -2.5% |
| 83. | Switzerland | $45,217,000 | -13.4% |
| 84. | Botswana | $43,436,000 | -6.5% |
| 85. | Sweden | $43,404,000 | +5.7% |
| 86. | Lebanon | $40,373,000 | -59.8% |
| 87. | North Korea | $40,273,000 | +14.6% |
| 88. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $40,047,000 | -13.5% |
| 89. | Pakistan | $37,048,000 | +815.9% |
| 90. | Kuwait | $35,352,000 | -41% |
| 91. | Mauritius | $34,836,000 | +208% |
| 92. | Ukraine | $34,448,000 | +2,394% |
| 93. | Denmark | $34,269,000 | -18.1% |
| 94. | Slovakia | $33,893,000 | -12.8% |
| 95. | Uruguay | $33,507,000 | -26.1% |
| 96. | Cameroon | $30,742,000 | +8.6% |
| 97. | Belarus | $30,711,000 | +9.6% |
| 98. | Burkina Faso | $30,693,000 | -37% |
| 99. | Haiti | $30,535,000 | -65% |
| 100. | North Macedonia | $30,506,000 | +2.1% |
| 101. | Bahrain | $28,394,000 | -25.3% |
| 102. | Mexico | $26,579,000 | -75.3% |
| 103. | Turkmenistan | $25,739,000 | -39.3% |
| 104. | Latvia | $25,525,000 | +1.3% |
| 105. | Albania | $23,238,000 | +220.9% |
| 106. | Qatar | $21,041,000 | -33.4% |
| 107. | Armenia | $19,733,000 | -33.9% |
| 108. | Papua New Guinea | $18,385,000 | +13% |
| 109. | Jamaica | $18,159,000 | -41.6% |
| 110. | Mongolia | $15,216,000 | -51.8% |
| 111. | Trinidad/Tobago | $15,133,000 | -56.4% |
| 112. | Estonia | $14,360,000 | +1.2% |
| 113. | Uganda | $13,560,000 | -81.9% |
| 114. | Lithuania | $13,526,000 | -37.8% |
| 115. | Rwanda | $13,508,000 | -78.1% |
| 116. | Ecuador | $12,992,000 | -25.6% |
| 117. | Sierra Leone | $12,857,000 | -7.3% |
| 118. | Kyrgyzstan | $12,175,000 | -40.1% |
| 119. | Australia | $12,164,000 | +4.1% |
| 120. | Cyprus | $11,312,000 | -4.2% |
| 121. | Malta | $11,298,000 | +0.4% |
| 122. | Lesotho | $10,056,000 | -11.6% |
| 123. | Libya | $10,004,000 | -91.5% |
| 124. | Niger | $9,302,000 | -79.5% |
| 125. | Oman | $9,273,000 | -81.4% |
| 126. | Dominican Republic | $8,861,000 | +52.5% |
| 127. | Mozambique | $7,627,000 | +140.1% |
| 128. | Barbados | $6,574,000 | +6% |
| 129. | Costa Rica | $6,277,000 | -3.2% |
| 130. | Liberia | $5,955,000 | -39.9% |
| 131. | Burundi | $5,825,000 | -72.5% |
| 132. | Macao | $5,678,000 | 0% |
| 133. | Cabo Verde | $5,328,000 | -21.3% |
| 134. | Luxembourg | $4,988,000 | -8% |
| 135. | Palestine | $4,889,000 | -87.9% |
| 136. | Iceland | $4,856,000 | -9.8% |
| 137. | Suriname | $4,820,000 | -44% |
| 138. | Fiji | $4,593,000 | -10.8% |
| 139. | Bahamas | $4,411,000 | -45.9% |
| 140. | French Polynesia | $4,334,000 | -7.7% |
| 141. | Nepal | $4,301,000 | -76% |
| 142. | Guyana | $3,640,000 | -13.9% |
| 143. | New Caledonia | $3,536,000 | -3.3% |
| 144. | Bhutan | $3,518,000 | +6.2% |
| 145. | Moldova | $3,435,000 | -37.2% |
| 146. | Solomon Islands | $3,391,000 | -46.1% |
| 147. | Comoros | $3,377,000 | -11.9% |
| 148. | Timor-Leste | $3,140,000 | -70.9% |
| 149. | Ethiopia | $3,097,000 | -12.7% |
| 150. | Brunei Darussalam | $3,072,000 | -41.2% |
| 151. | Gabon | $2,956,000 | -16.7% |
| 152. | Guinea-Bissau | $2,791,000 | +17.4% |
| 153. | Aruba | $2,751,000 | -14.3% |
| 154. | Equatorial Guinea | $2,450,000 | -22% |
| 155. | Saint Lucia | $2,394,000 | +9.8% |
| 156. | Samoa | $2,142,000 | -52.2% |
| 157. | Brazil | $2,100,000 | -0.1% |
| 158. | Kiribati | $1,933,000 | -9.2% |
| 159. | US Minor Outlying Is | $1,694,000 | -2.5% |
| 160. | Curaçao | $1,577,000 | -47.4% |
| 161. | Guatemala | $1,379,000 | +1,367% |
| 162. | Vanuatu | $1,376,000 | -6.4% |
| 163. | Serbia | $1,335,000 | +43.5% |
| 164. | Montenegro | $1,115,000 | -81.7% |
| 165. | Antigua/Barbuda | $1,110,000 | -22.2% |
| 166. | South Sudan | $1,027,000 | +405.9% |
| 167. | Greenland | $1,023,000 | -24.4% |
| 168. | Sao Tome/Principe | $930,000 | -26.3% |
| 169. | Bermuda | $907,000 | -0.4% |
| 170. | Seychelles | $873,000 | -63.9% |
| 171. | Micronesia | $858,000 | -21.9% |
| 172. | Andorra | $853,000 | +1.4% |
| 173. | Mali | $794,000 | -94.3% |
| 174. | Maldives | $744,000 | -91% |
| 175. | Bolivia | $714,000 | +83.1% |
| 176. | Faroe Islands | $583,000 | -2% |
| 177. | Congo | $548,000 | -58.3% |
| 178. | Saint Kitts/Nevis | $538,000 | -28.9% |
| 179. | Thailand | $490,000 | +21.9% |
| 180. | Panama | $489,000 | -74.1% |
| 181. | Grenada | $475,000 | -65.9% |
| 182. | Cayman Islands | $460,000 | -38.2% |
| 183. | Chad | $445,000 | -85.8% |
| 184. | St Vincent/Grenadines | $413,000 | -81.7% |
| 185. | Tonga | $360,000 | -55.4% |
| 186. | Zambia | $341,000 | -79.3% |
| 187. | Dominica | $334,000 | -57.6% |
| 188. | Honduras | $315,000 | -22.2% |
| 189. | Eswatini | $293,000 | +27.9% |
| 190. | British Virgin Islands | $279,000 | -7.3% |
| 191. | Tuvalu | $241,000 | +42.6% |
| 192. | Northern Mariana Is | $233,000 | +68.8% |
| 193. | Turks/Caicos Islands | $230,000 | -0.9% |
| 194. | Gibraltar | $222,000 | -5.1% |
| 195. | Nauru | $221,000 | +12.8% |
| 196. | Cook Islands | $212,000 | -16.5% |
| 197. | Marshall Islands | $176,000 | -23.5% |
| 198. | Wallis/Futuna Islands | $158,000 | +3.3% |
| 199. | Saint Helena | $149,000 | +140.3% |
| 200. | Argentina | $147,000 | -73.7% |
| 201. | Paraguay | $136,000 | -99.5% |
| 202. | Malawi | $129,000 | -40.6% |
| 203. | Belize | $126,000 | -8.7% |
| 204. | Palau | $122,000 | -50.8% |
| 205. | Zimbabwe | $116,000 | +582.4% |
| 206. | Nicaragua | $110,000 | +31% |
| 207. | St Maarten (Dutch) | $99,000 | -18.9% |
| 208. | Bonaire/St Eustatius/Saba | $61,000 | +510% |
| 209. | Guam | $51,000 | 0% |
| 210. | St. Pierre/Miquelon | $44,000 | +25.7% |
| 211. | El Salvador | $42,000 | -4.5% |
| 212. | Norfolk Island | $36,000 | +63.6% |
| 213. | Anguilla | $30,000 | -37.5% |
| 214. | Niue | $29,000 | -6.5% |
| 215. | Montserrat | $28,000 | -58.8% |
| 216. | Central African Rep | $13,000 | -99.8% |
| 217. | Cuba | $6,000 | -100% |
| 218. | French S./Antarctic Terr | $4,000 | +33.3% |
| 219. | Falkland Is (Malvinas) | $3,000 | -57.1% |
| 220. | Eritrea | $1,000 | -100% |
| 221. | Pitcairn | $1,000 | 0% |
See also Sugar Exports by Country and America’s Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Imports – Commodities. Accessed on May 7, 2020
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on May 7, 2020
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on May 7, 2020
