Overall spending on sugar imports for all buying countries accelerated by an average 58.2% compared to 2020 when global sugar purchases totaled $26.4 billion.
Year over year, payments for sugar imports flatlined via an average -0.1% slowdown from $41.8 billion during 2023.
The 5 biggest importers of sugar are Indonesia, United States of America, mainland China, India and Malaysia. Combined, that quintet of major sugar importers purchased over one-quarter (26.9%) of the worldwide total for 2024.
From a continental perspective, Asian countries bought the highest dollar worth of imported sugar during 2024 with purchases valued at $20.4 billion or 48.8% of the world total. In second place were importers in Africa at 20.3% while another 16.9% of globally imported sugar went to buyers located in Europe.
North American nations took delivery of 9.8% of sugar imports, trailed by Latin America (3.6%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.6%) led by New Zealand.
For research purposes, the 4-digit Harmonized Tariff System code prefix for sugar is 1701. That code prefix includes solid-form cane or beet sugar and chemically pure sucrose.
Sugar Imports by Country
Below are the 15 countries that imported the highest dollar value worth of sugar during 2024.
- Indonesia: US$3 billion (7.3% of total sugar imports)
- United States: $2.7 billion (6.4%)
- mainland China: $2.4 billion (5.7%)
- India: $1.8 billion (4.3%)
- Malaysia: $1.36 billion (3.3%)
- United Arab Emirates: $1.28 billion (3.1%)
- Italy: $1.26 billion (3%)
- Saudi Arabia: $1.25 billion (3%)
- Algeria: $1.1 billion (2.5%)
- Egypt: $975.1 million (2.3%)
- South Korea: $965.9 million (2.3%)
- Morocco: $927.3 million (2.2%)
- Canada: $913.3 million (2.2%)
- Bangladesh: $881.4 million (2.1%)
- Spain: $838.7 million (2%)
By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 51.7% of all sugar imported in 2024.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing markets for sugar from 2023 to 2024 were: United Arab Emirates (up 72.2%), Egypt (up 56.2%), India (up 31.2%) and Saudi Arabia (up 19.4%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported sugar purchases were led by: Spain (down -35.5%), Bangladesh (down -17.6%), Italy (down -13.7%) and Morocco (down -7%).
Searchable List of Sugar Importing Countries in 2024
The automated table below showcases the 100 countries spending the most on imported sugar during 2024.
| Rank | Importer | Sugar Imports | 2023-4 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | Indonesia | $3,028,911,000 | +5.1% |
| 2. | United States | $2,652,825,000 | +7.2% |
| 3. | mainland China | $2,391,396,000 | +3.6% |
| 4. | India | $1,797,433,000 | +31.2% |
| 5. | Malaysia | $1,360,285,000 | +13.4% |
| 6. | United Arab Emirates | $1,275,503,000 | +72.2% |
| 7. | Italy | $1,264,560,000 | -13.7% |
| 8. | Saudi Arabia | $1,249,230,000 | +19.4% |
| 9. | Algeria | $1,054,820,000 | +13.2% |
| 10. | Egypt | $975,149,000 | +56.2% |
| 11. | South Korea | $965,911,000 | -5.9% |
| 12. | Morocco | $927,307,000 | -7% |
| 13. | Canada | $913,316,000 | +12.7% |
| 14. | Bangladesh | $881,443,000 | -17.6% |
| 15. | Spain | $838,680,000 | -35.5% |
| 16. | Uzbekistan | $790,831,000 | +67.6% |
| 17. | Belgium | $772,647,000 | +22.8% |
| 18. | Japan | $740,665,000 | -5% |
| 19. | Nigeria | $721,100,000 | -26.5% |
| 20. | Iraq | $720,644,000 | +7.3% |
| 21. | Mexico | $536,690,000 | +44.8% |
| 22. | United Kingdom | $528,495,000 | -27.8% |
| 23. | Germany | $490,979,000 | -8.2% |
| 24. | Sudan | $446,137,000 | -44% |
| 25. | Libya | $443,630,000 | +76.3% |
| 26. | Iran | $422,189,000 | +11% |
| 27. | Somalia | $402,440,000 | +2.2% |
| 28. | Yemen | $386,320,000 | -19.4% |
| 29. | Chile | $380,255,000 | -2.1% |
| 30. | Sri Lanka | $371,991,000 | -11.7% |
| 31. | Vietnam | $354,675,000 | -22.2% |
| 32. | Kazakhstan | $345,800,000 | +17.4% |
| 33. | Taiwan | $340,666,000 | -10.5% |
| 34. | Mauritania | $330,394,000 | +9.5% |
| 35. | France | $326,767,000 | -1.4% |
| 36. | Israel | $298,608,000 | +10.3% |
| 37. | South Africa | $291,224,000 | +6.4% |
| 38. | Djibouti | $285,910,000 | -33.3% |
| 39. | Tanzania | $283,295,000 | +59.5% |
| 40. | Thailand | $272,667,000 | +41.6% |
| 41. | Netherlands | $270,715,000 | -6.5% |
| 42. | Cameroon | $264,246,000 | +58.8% |
| 43. | Portugal | $238,984,000 | -23.1% |
| 44. | Kenya | $238,309,000 | -39.1% |
| 45. | Afghanistan | $232,877,000 | +371.4% |
| 46. | Laos | $229,354,000 | -5.3% |
| 47. | Senegal | $224,602,000 | +85.8% |
| 48. | Hungary | $215,291,000 | -13.4% |
| 49. | Venezuela | $212,141,000 | +32% |
| 50. | Austria | $206,651,000 | -11.4% |
| 51. | Romania | $204,543,000 | -47.4% |
| 52. | Greece | $201,798,000 | -22.4% |
| 53. | Lebanon | $201,565,000 | +76.8% |
| 54. | Peru | $201,551,000 | +4.8% |
| 55. | Colombia | $196,506,000 | +10.5% |
| 56. | Philippines | $189,289,000 | -62.6% |
| 57. | Azerbaijan | $182,030,000 | -1.6% |
| 58. | Ghana | $178,145,000 | +12.6% |
| 59. | Guinea | $169,731,000 | +36.2% |
| 60. | Bulgaria | $162,772,000 | -14.6% |
| 61. | Singapore | $147,518,000 | -5.1% |
| 62. | Democratic Republic Congo | $146,503,000 | +111.8% |
| 63. | Türkiye | $145,139,000 | -41.4% |
| 64. | Tunisia | $140,148,000 | -42.2% |
| 65. | Jordan | $138,601,000 | -42.4% |
| 66. | New Zealand | $138,520,000 | -8.1% |
| 67. | Angola | $123,850,000 | +17.7% |
| 68. | Madagascar | $123,787,000 | +41.7% |
| 69. | Ireland | $121,174,000 | -6.3% |
| 70. | Haiti | $108,450,000 | -17.3% |
| 71. | Cambodia | $107,706,000 | +53.8% |
| 72. | Switzerland | $105,068,000 | +31.8% |
| 73. | Norway | $104,964,000 | +12.3% |
| 74. | Finland | $104,356,000 | +38% |
| 75. | Hong Kong | $100,093,000 | -7.7% |
| 76. | Namibia | $99,998,000 | +17.7% |
| 77. | Syria | $96,491,000 | +20.1% |
| 78. | Sweden | $94,809,000 | +67.1% |
| 79. | Croatia | $93,055,000 | -26.8% |
| 80. | Georgia | $87,646,000 | -12.1% |
| 81. | Ivory Coast | $85,802,000 | +17.3% |
| 82. | Poland | $85,536,000 | -52.3% |
| 83. | Burkina Faso | $77,820,000 | +20.6% |
| 84. | Czech Republic | $75,204,000 | -21.9% |
| 85. | Bahrain | $69,988,000 | +37% |
| 86. | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $69,775,000 | +14% |
| 87. | Ecuador | $68,760,000 | -43.3% |
| 88. | Dominican Republic | $68,299,000 | +4.8% |
| 89. | Slovenia | $64,957,000 | -41.9% |
| 90. | Kuwait | $63,453,000 | -9.9% |
| 91. | Botswana | $61,628,000 | +7.7% |
| 92. | Trinidad/Tobago | $61,197,000 | +0.9% |
| 93. | Slovakia | $59,713,000 | -22.8% |
| 94. | Armenia | $56,924,000 | +37.4% |
| 95. | Mongolia | $54,456,000 | +42.4% |
| 96. | Albania | $53,703,000 | +73.7% |
| 97. | Uruguay | $50,272,000 | +10.4% |
| 98. | North Macedonia | $49,191,000 | -7.9% |
| 99. | Benin | $48,496,000 | +54.7% |
| 100. | Jamaica | $47,707,000 | -22.1% |
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 2023 data was available.
Major Importers of Sugar Ranked by Shipment Weight
Highlighted below are countries listed in ascending order starting with the those that bought the greatest total tonnage of sugar imports during 2024.
- Indonesia: 5,313,529 tons of imported sugar (up 4.8% from 2023)
- mainland China: 4,350,294 tons (up 9.5%)
- United States: 3,483,996 tons (up 10.9%)
- India: 3,364,485 tons (up 50.5%)
- United Arab Emirates: 2,674,061 tons (up 332.6%)
- Malaysia: 2,390,286 tons (up 22.6%)
- Algeria: 2,226,516 tons (up 15.7%)
- Saudi Arabia: 2,209,808 tons (up 26%)
- Egypt: 2,058,979 tons (up 225.4%)
- Morocco: 1,935,271 tons (up 15.2%)
- Bangladesh: 1,822,677 tons (down -16.3%)
- Italy: 1,784,081 tons (down -1.8%)
- Canada: 1,674,282 tons (up 16.5%)
- South Korea: 1,654,713 tons (down -2.2%)
- Nigeria: 1,531,950 tons (up 149.5%)
The fastest gains in imported sugar as measured by shipment weight were recorded by buyers in the United Arab Emirates (up 332.6% from 2023), Egypt (up 225.4%), Nigeria (up 149.5%) then India (up 50.5%).
There was a trio of year-over-year reductions: Bangladesh (down -16.3% from 2023), South Korea (down -2.2%) and Italy (down -1.8%).
Average Prices for Major Sugar Importers
Worldwide the average price for sugar in 2024 was US$811.9 per ton, deflating by -17.3% from $981.6 per ton for 2023.
Shown below are the average prices per ton of imported sugar paid for leading entrants among the top buyer countries. Entries are listed in ascending order starting with countries that imported the greatest volume of sugar during 2024.
- Indonesia: US$570 per ton of imported sugar (up 0.4% from 2023)
- United States: $761 per ton (down -3.4%)
- mainland China: $550 per ton (down -5.3%)
- India: $534 per ton (down -12.9%)
- Malaysia: $569 per ton (down -7.5%)
- United Arab Emirates: $477 per ton (down -60.2%)
- Italy: $709 per ton (down -12%)
- Saudi Arabia: $565 per ton (down -5.4%)
- Algeria: $474 per ton (down -2.1%)
- Egypt: $474 per ton (down -52%)
- South Korea: $584 per ton (down -3.8%)
- Morocco: $479 per ton (down -19.4%)
- Canada: $545 per ton (down -3.4%)
- Bangladesh: $484 per ton (down -1.4%)
- Uzbekistan: $706 per ton (down -6.7%)
Focusing on the above-listed, the lowest average prices for imported sugar were paid by buyers in Egypt ($474 per ton), Algeria (also $474 per ton), United Arab Emirates ($477 per ton), and Morocco ($479 per ton).
The costliest average charges were for sugar delivered to importers in the United States of America ($761 per ton), Italy ($709 per ton), and Uzbekistan ($706 per ton).
Sugar Imports into Indonesia
Below are the suppliers from which Indonesia imported the highest dollar value worth of sugar during 2024. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2023 to 2024.
- Brazil: US$1.9 billion (up 114.8% from 2023)
- Thailand: $587.6 million (down -54.3%)
- Australia: $442.5 million (down -13.7%)
- Vietnam: $27.6 million (up 202.4%)
- South Africa: $22.4 million (2023 data unavailable)
- Malaysia: $19.4 million (up 379.2%)
- India: $18.7 million (down -89.5%)
- South Korea: $2.5 million (down -33%)
- Ukraine: $2.3 million (2023 data unavailable)
- Germany: $685,000 (down -7.2%)
- Indonesia: $69,000 (2023 data unavailable)
- Belgium: $8,000 (2023 data unavailable)
- United States: $2,000 (up 100%)
- Taiwan: $1,000 (2023 data unavailable)
- Saudi Arabia: $1,000 (2023 data unavailable)
By value, the listed countries shipped 99.9999% of sugar imported by Indonesia in 2024.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of sugar to Indonesia from 2023 to 2024 were: Malaysia (up 379.2%), Vietnam (up 202.4%), Brazil (up 114.8%) and the United States of America (up 100%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their sugar supplied to Indonesian importers included: India (down -89.5%), Thailand (down -54.3%), South Korea (down -33%) and Australia (down -13.7%).
Overall, the value of Indonesia’s imported sugar went up by an average 5.1% from all supplying countries since 2023 when sugar purchased cost $2.9 billion.
Sugar Imports into the United States
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which America imported the highest dollar value worth of sugar during 2024. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2023 to 2024.
- Brazil: US$768.8 million (up 41.5% from 2023)
- Mexico: $425.4 million (down -47.2%)
- Guatemala: $189.7 million (up 20.7%)
- Dominican Republic: $162.1 million (up 22.9%)
- El Salvador: $148.3 million (up 34.8%)
- Colombia: $136.1 million (down -9.3%)
- Argentina: $132.6 million (up 141.9%)
- Costa Rica: $83.1 million (up 36.4%)
- Australia: $82.6 million (down -2.7%)
- Peru: $81.9 million (up 264.5%)
- Honduras: $55 million (up 88.8%)
- Panama: $41.2 million (up 81.9%)
- South Africa: $38 million (up 5.7%)
- Belize: $29.5 million (up 156%)
- Paraguay: $28.5 million (up 4.1%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 90.6% of sugar imported by the United States of America in 2024.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of sugar to United States from 2023 to 2024 were: Peru (up 264.5%), Belize (up 156%), Argentina (up 141.9%) and Honduras (up 88.8%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their sugar supplied to American importers were: Mexico (down -47.2% from 2023), Colombia (down -9.3%) and Australia (down -2.7%).
Overall, the value of America’s imported sugar advanced by an average 7.2% from all supplying countries since 2023 when sugar purchased cost $2.5 billion.
Sugar Imports into China
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which mainland China imported the highest dollar value worth of sugar during 2024. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2023 to 2024.
- Brazil: US$2.1 billion (up 7.3% from 2023)
- South Korea: $121 million (up 4.9%)
- Thailand: $47.5 million (down -43.2%)
- El Salvador: $45.8 million (2023 data unavailable)
- Nicaragua: $40.1 million (2023 data unavailable)
- South Africa: $22.8 million (2023 data unavailable)
- Malaysia: $21.1 million (up 40.1%)
- India: $12.4 million (down -87%)
- Indonesia: $7.8 million (down -33.2%)
- Mauritius: $2.9 million (down -5.1%)
- United Arab Emirates: $2.4 million (up 338.6%)
- Pakistan: $2 million (down -88.9%)
- Vietnam: $1.6 million (up 288.2%)
- Germany: $1.5 million (down -6.3%)
- Guatemala: $923,000 (down -96.2%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.9% of sugar imported by mainland China in 2024.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of sugar to China from 2023 to 2024 were: United Arab Emirates (up 338.6%), Vietnam (up 288.2%), Malaysia (up 40.1%) and Brazil (up 7.3%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their sugar supplied to Chinese importers included: Guatemala (down -96.2%), Pakistan (down -88.9%), India (down -87%) and Thailand (down -43.2%).
Overall, the value of China’s imported sugar rose by an average 3.6% from all supplying countries since 2023 when sugar purchased cost $2.3 billion.
Sugar Imports into India
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which India imported the highest dollar value worth of sugar during 2024. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2023 to 2024.
- Brazil: US$1.8 billion (up 32% from 2023)
- United Arab Emirates: $9.3 million (2023 data unavailable)
- Germany: $4.3 million (up 19.8%)
- United States: $2 million (up 44.8%)
- Belgium: $1.2 million (up 15.5%)
- New Zealand: $801,000 (up 28%)
- Kenya: $330,000 (2023 data unavailable)
- Italy: $172,000 (up 1.2%)
- Netherlands: $115,000 (down -3.4%)
- Japan: $33,000 (down -10.8%)
- Mauritius: $10,000 (2023 data unavailable)
- United Kingdom: $6,000 (down -14.3%)
- Denmark: $2,000 (2023 data unavailable)
- France: $2,000 (down -99.5%)
- Ireland: $2,000 (2023 data unavailable)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.9998% of sugar imported by India in 2024.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of sugar to India from 2023 to 2024 were: United States of America (up 44.8%), Brazil (up 32%), New Zealand (up 28%) and Germany (up 19.8%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their sugar supplied to Indian importers were: France (down -99.5%), United Kingdom (down -14.3%), Japan (down -10.8%) and the Netherlands (down -3.4%).
Overall, the value of India’s imported sugar accelerated by an average 31.2% from all supplying countries since 2023 when sugar purchased cost $1.4 billion.
See also Sugar Exports by Country, China’s Top 10 Imports, Brazil’s Top 10 Imports, Indonesia’s Top 10 Imports and America’s Top Trading Partners
Research Sources:
Central Intelligence Agency, The World Factbook Field Listing: Imports – Commodities. Accessed on June 4, 2025
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 4, 2025
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 4, 2025