Overall spending on sugar imports for all buying countries rose by an average 11.5% compared to 2021 when global sugar purchases totaled $30.4 billion.
Year over year, payments for sugar imports dropped via an average -20% from $42.3 billion during 2024.
The 5 biggest importers of sugar were mainland China, United States of America, Indonesia, India and Italy. Combined, that quintet of major sugar importers purchased nearly one-quarter (24.9%) of the worldwide total for 2025.
From a continental perspective, Asian countries bought the highest dollar worth of imported sugar during 2025 with purchases valued at $15.7 billion or 46.3% of the world total. In second place were importers in Africa at 23.7% while another 18% of globally imported sugar went to buyers located in Europe.
North American nations took delivery of 8.2% of sugar imports, trailed by Latin America (3.2%) excluding Mexico but including the Caribbean, then Oceania (0.6%) led by New Zealand and Papua New Guinea.
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 2025.
- mainland China: US$2.2 billion (6.4% of total sugar imports)
- United States: $1.93 billion (5.7%)
- Indonesia: $1.9 billion (5.6%)
- India: $1.24 billion (3.7%)
- Italy: $1.17 billion (3.5%)
- Saudi Arabia: $1.15 billion (3.4%)
- Bangladesh: $996.1 million (2.9%)
- Malaysia: $941.6 million (2.8%)
- United Arab Emirates: $933.7 million (2.8%)
- Morocco: $876.2 million (2.6%)
- Algeria: $873.3 million (2.6%)
- Spain: $807.7 million (2.4%)
- South Korea: $764.2 million (2.3%)
- Canada: $730 million (2.2%)
- Nigeria: $670.1 million (2%)
By value, the listed 15 countries purchased 50.7% of all sugar imported in 2025.
Among the above countries, the two growth markets for sugar from 2024 to 2025 were: Bangladesh (up 12.9%) and Nigeria (up 5.5%).
Those countries that posted declines in their imported sugar purchases were led by: Indonesia (down -37.2% from 2024), India (down -31.2%), Malaysia (down -30.8%) and the United States of America (down -27.1%).
Searchable List of Sugar Importing Countries in 2025
The automated table below showcases the 100 countries spending the most on imported sugar during 2025.
| Rank | Importer | Sugar Imports | 2024-5 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | mainland China | $2,182,609,000 | -8.7% |
| 2 | United States | $1,932,940,000 | -27.1% |
| 3 | Indonesia | $1,901,534,000 | -37.2% |
| 4 | India | $1,236,896,000 | -31.2% |
| 5 | Italy | $1,169,234,000 | -1.5% |
| 6 | Saudi Arabia | $1,148,072,000 | -8.1% |
| 7 | Bangladesh | $996,087,000 | +12.9% |
| 8 | Malaysia | $941,637,000 | -30.8% |
| 9 | United Arab Emirates | $933,672,000 | -8.2% |
| 10 | Morocco | $876,170,000 | -12.7% |
| 11 | Algeria | $873,326,000 | -27% |
| 12 | Spain | $807,675,000 | -3.7% |
| 13 | South Korea | $764,154,000 | -20.9% |
| 14 | Canada | $729,982,000 | -20.1% |
| 15 | Nigeria | $670,097,000 | +5.5% |
| 16 | Belgium | $622,546,000 | -19.4% |
| 17 | Japan | $617,440,000 | -16.6% |
| 18 | Egypt | $561,321,000 | -44.1% |
| 19 | Sudan | $532,892,000 | -17% |
| 20 | United Kingdom | $490,872,000 | -7.1% |
| 21 | Libya | $449,005,000 | -8.6% |
| 22 | Iraq | $418,842,000 | -45.1% |
| 23 | South Africa | $400,265,000 | +37.4% |
| 24 | Somalia | $393,776,000 | -14.8% |
| 25 | Germany | $375,305,000 | -24.5% |
| 26 | Lebanon | $352,573,000 | +171.2% |
| 27 | Kazakhstan | $349,770,000 | +1.1% |
| 28 | Taiwan | $308,196,000 | -9.5% |
| 29 | Chile | $302,466,000 | -20.5% |
| 30 | France | $298,520,000 | -8.6% |
| 31 | Kenya | $293,110,000 | +23% |
| 32 | Yemen | $292,976,000 | +198.5% |
| 33 | Netherlands | $285,398,000 | -6.7% |
| 34 | Senegal | $267,676,000 | +174.4% |
| 35 | Sri Lanka | $257,122,000 | -30.9% |
| 36 | Philippines | $254,535,000 | +34.5% |
| 37 | Mauritania | $242,718,000 | -26.5% |
| 38 | Israel | $236,384,000 | -20.8% |
| 39 | Ghana | $233,679,000 | +36.3% |
| 40 | Iran | $233,399,000 | -44.8% |
| 41 | Portugal | $230,791,000 | -0.1% |
| 42 | Tanzania | $230,638,000 | -42.8% |
| 43 | Djibouti | $230,447,000 | -39.7% |
| 44 | Laos | $211,279,000 | -7.9% |
| 45 | Azerbaijan | $196,199,000 | +7.8% |
| 46 | Austria | $187,297,000 | -9.9% |
| 47 | Togo | $185,590,000 | +339.9% |
| 48 | Guinea | $183,207,000 | -1.4% |
| 49 | Vietnam | $180,013,000 | -65.6% |
| 50 | Romania | $176,217,000 | -13.9% |
| 51 | Pakistan | $175,772,000 | +4889% |
| 52 | Greece | $173,573,000 | -14% |
| 53 | Bulgaria | $150,260,000 | -7.7% |
| 54 | Cameroon | $148,093,000 | -24.8% |
| 55 | Jordan | $146,811,000 | -40.3% |
| 56 | Rwanda | $145,969,000 | -12.1% |
| 57 | Venezuela | $145,688,000 | -34.1% |
| 58 | Angola | $136,846,000 | -17% |
| 59 | Uzbekistan | $131,240,000 | -75.7% |
| 60 | Peru | $122,144,000 | -39.4% |
| 61 | Singapore | $118,220,000 | -19.9% |
| 62 | Hungary | $115,826,000 | -40.5% |
| 63 | Cambodia | $113,755,000 | +5.6% |
| 64 | Colombia | $112,141,000 | -42.9% |
| 65 | Mexico | $107,906,000 | -80.9% |
| 66 | New Zealand | $107,096,000 | -22.7% |
| 67 | Syria | $106,632,000 | +4.7% |
| 68 | Croatia | $104,294,000 | +17.5% |
| 69 | Tunisia | $99,804,000 | -47.7% |
| 70 | Democratic Republic Congo | $97,262,000 | +28.5% |
| 71 | Ivory Coast | $96,288,000 | +12.2% |
| 72 | Ireland | $94,413,000 | -22.3% |
| 73 | Gambia | $91,878,000 | +348.8% |
| 74 | Norway | $89,821,000 | -14.4% |
| 75 | Hong Kong | $86,815,000 | -13.3% |
| 76 | Namibia | $84,577,000 | -15.4% |
| 77 | Switzerland | $80,244,000 | -23.6% |
| 78 | Georgia | $80,064,000 | -8.7% |
| 79 | Burkina Faso | $79,482,000 | +2.1% |
| 80 | Oman | $78,221,000 | -11% |
| 81 | Madagascar | $78,020,000 | -37% |
| 82 | Türkiye | $77,640,000 | -46.5% |
| 83 | Thailand | $74,080,000 | -72.8% |
| 84 | Poland | $71,464,000 | -19.1% |
| 85 | Haiti | $71,154,000 | -45.9% |
| 86 | Czech Republic | $61,316,000 | -18.5% |
| 87 | Afghanistan | $57,293,000 | -75.9% |
| 88 | Finland | $57,155,000 | -43.4% |
| 89 | Sweden | $56,084,000 | -41.7% |
| 90 | Slovenia | $55,172,000 | -15.1% |
| 91 | Slovakia | $53,560,000 | -18.2% |
| 92 | Kuwait | $53,117,000 | -41.4% |
| 93 | Bahrain | $51,964,000 | -27.4% |
| 94 | Bosnia/Herzegovina | $51,927,000 | -25.6% |
| 95 | Myanmar | $51,309,000 | +27.2% |
| 96 | Trinidad/Tobago | $49,867,000 | -16.3% |
| 97 | Ecuador | $47,309,000 | -31.2% |
| 98 | Albania | $47,157,000 | +59.9% |
| 99 | Benin | $46,647,000 | -4.7% |
| 100 | Uruguay | $43,769,000 | -12.9% |
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 2024 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 2025.
- Brazil: 2,749,184 tons of imported sugar (down -17.7% from 2024)
- United Arab Emirates: 16,042 tons (down -6.3%)
- France: 8,776 tons (up 877,500%)
- Poland: 5,095 tons (2024 data unavailable)
- Thailand: 1,829 tons (2024 data unavailable)
- Germany: 1,743 tons (down -35.1%)
- New Zealand: 234 tons (down -67.7%)
- Belgium: 175 tons (down -86.9%)
- United States: 143 tons (down -41.4%)
- Netherlands: 98 tons (up 66.1%)
- Sri Lanka: 81 tons (2024 data unavailable)
- Mauritius: 35 tons (up 118.8%)
- Italy: 28 tons (up 64.7%)
- Malaysia: 5 tons (2024 data unavailable)
- Qatar: 2 tons (2024 data unavailable)
Gains in imported sugar as measured by shipment weight were recorded by buyers in France (up 877,500% from 2024), Mauritius (up 118.8%), Netherlands (up 66.1%) then Italy (up 64.7%).
There severest year-over-year reductions belonged to: New Zealand (down -67.7% from 2024), United Kingdom (down -50%), United States of America (down -41.4%) and Germany (down -35.1%).
Average Prices for Major Sugar Importers
Worldwide the average price for sugar in 2025 was US$444 per ton, inflating by 3.7% from $428 per ton for 2024.
Year over year, the global average price for sugar in 2025 plummeted by -16.9% from $534 per ton one year earlier.
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 2025.
- Brazil: US$441 per ton of imported sugar (down -17.1% from 2024)
- United Arab Emirates: $503 per ton (down -7%)
- France: $566 per ton (down -71.7%)
- Germany: $2,071 per ton (up 30.3%)
- Poland: $568 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- United States: $12,902 per ton (up 57.5%)
- Thailand: $505 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Belgium: $4,949 per ton (up 451.1%)
- New Zealand: $1,175 per ton (up 6%)
- Italy: $7,393 per ton (down -26.9%)
- Netherlands: $1,806 per ton (down -7.3%)
- Sri Lanka: $605 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Malaysia: $4,800 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
- Mauritius: $657 per ton (down -4.5%)
- Qatar: $1,500 per ton (2024 data unavailable)
Focusing on the above-listed, the lowest average prices for imported sugar were paid by buyers in Poland, France, Thailand, United Arab Emirates and Brazil.
The costliest average charges per ton were for sugar delivered to importers in the United States of America, Italy, Belgium, Malaysia and Germany.
Sugar Imports into China
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which mainland China imported the highest dollar value worth of sugar during 2025. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2024 to 2025.
- Brazil: US$1.8 billion (down -10.4% from 2024)
- Thailand: $92.9 million (up 95.7%)
- South Korea: $67.5 million (down -44.2%)
- Nicaragua: $53.9 million (up 34.4%)
- El Salvador: $45.6 million (down -0.3%)
- South Africa: $20.1 million (down -11.7%)
- Malaysia: $15.1 million (down -28.4%)
- Honduras: $13.3 million (2024 data unavailable)
- Mauritius: $7.5 million (up 162.5%)
- India: $6.1 million (down -50.5%)
- Pakistan: $3.5 million (up 74.2%)
- Germany: $3 million (up 96.5%)
- Indonesia: $2.6 million (down -66.4%)
- United States: $2.5 million (up 214.9%)
- Vietnam: $1.9 million (up 12.8%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.8% of sugar imported by mainland China in 2025.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of sugar to China from 2024 to 2025 were: United States of America (up 214.9%), Mauritius (up 162.5%), Germany (up 96.5%) and Thailand (up 95.7%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their sugar supplied to Chinese importers included: Indonesia (down -66.4%), India (down -50.5%), South Korea (down -44.2%) and Malaysia (down -28.4%).
Overall, the value of China’s imported sugar fell by an average -8.7% from all supplying countries since 2024 when sugar purchased cost $2.4 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 2025. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2024 to 2025.
- Mexico: US$531.1 million (up 24.8% from 2024)
- Brazil: $244.4 million (down -68.2%)
- Guatemala: $171.9 million (down -9.4%)
- Dominican Republic: $153.5 million (down -5.3%)
- Colombia: $140.9 million (up 3.5%)
- El Salvador: $119.9 million (down -19.2%)
- Australia: $114.8 million (up 38.9%)
- Argentina: $78.7 million (down -40.6%)
- Costa Rica: $57.7 million (down -30.6%)
- Peru: $35.7 million (down -56.4%)
- Panama: $30.9 million (down -25.1%)
- Philippines: $29.3 million (up 56.1%)
- Nicaragua: $28.9 million (up 5.4%)
- Belize: $25.4 million (down -13.8%)
- Honduras: $24.9 million (down -54.8%)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 92.5% of sugar imported by the United States of America in 2025.
Among the above countries, the fastest-growing suppliers of sugar to America from 2024 to 2025 were: Philippines (up 56.1%), Australia (up 38.9%), Mexico (up 24.8%) and Nicaragua (up 5.4%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their sugar supplied to American importers included: Brazil (down -68.2%), Peru (down -56.4%), Honduras (down -54.8%) and Argentina (down -40.6%).
Overall, the value of America’s imported sugar went down by an average -27.1% from all supplying countries since 2024 when sugar purchased cost $2.7 billion.
Sugar Imports into Indonesia
Below are the suppliers from which Indonesia imported the highest dollar value worth of sugar during 2025. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2024 to 2025.
- Brazil: US$877.2 million (down -54% from 2024)
- Thailand: $760.3 million (up 29.4%)
- Australia: $232.3 million (down -47.5%)
- Malaysia: $14.8 million (down -23.9%)
- Vietnam: $7.9 million (down -71.2%)
- Ukraine: $6.1 million (up 159.8%)
- South Korea: $1.8 million (down -27.4%)
- Germany: $439,000 (down -35.9%)
- France: $299,000 (2024 data unavailable)
- India: $152,000 (down -99.2%)
- Guatemala: $149,000 (2024 data unavailable)
- Czech Republic: $134,000 (2024 data unavailable)
- Colombia: $16,000 (2024 data unavailable)
- Belgium: $9,000 (up 12.5%)
- Saudi Arabia: $2,000 (up 100%)
By value, the listed countries shipped 99.9998% of sugar imported by Indonesia in 2025.
Among the above countries, the growth suppliers of sugar to Indonesia from 2024 to 2025 were: Ukraine (up 159.8%), Saudi Arabia (up 100%), Thailand (up 29.4%) and Belgium (up 12.5%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their sugar supplied to Indonesian importers included: India (down -99.2%), Vietnam (down -71.2%), Brazil (down -54%) and Australia (down -47.5%).
Overall, the value of Indonesia’s imported sugar slowed by an average -37.2% from all supplying countries since 2024 when sugar purchased cost $3 billion.
Sugar Imports into India
Below are the top 15 suppliers from which India imported the highest dollar value worth of sugar during 2025. Within parenthesis is the percentage change in value for each supplying country from 2024 to 2025.
- Brazil: US$1.2 billion (down -31.8% from 2024)
- United Arab Emirates: $8.1 million (down -12.9%)
- France: $5 million (up 248400%)
- Germany: $3.6 million (down -15.5%)
- Poland: $2.9 million (2024 data unavailable)
- United States: $1.8 million (down -7.7%)
- Thailand: $923,000 (2024 data unavailable)
- Belgium: $866,000 (down -27.5%)
- New Zealand: $275,000 (down -65.7%)
- Italy: $207,000 (up 20.3%)
- Netherlands: $177,000 (up 53.9%)
- Sri Lanka: $49,000 (2024 data unavailable)
- Malaysia: $24,000 (2024 data unavailable)
- Mauritius: $23,000 (up 109.1%)
- Switzerland: $22,000 (2024 data unavailable)
By value, the listed 15 countries shipped 99.997% of sugar imported by India in 2025.
Among the above countries, the growth suppliers of sugar to India from 2024 to 2025 were: France (up 248,400%), Mauritius (up 109.1%), Netherlands (up 53.9%) and Italy (up 20.3%).
Countries that experienced declines in the value of their sugar supplied to Indian importers included: New Zealand (down -65.7%), Brazil (down -31.8%), Belgium (down -27.5%) and Germany (down -15.5%).
Overall, the value of India’s imported sugar retreated by an average -31.2% from all supplying countries since 2024 when sugar purchased cost $1.8 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 15, 2026
International Trade Centre, Trade Map. Accessed on June 15, 2026
Investopedia, Net Exports Definition. Accessed on June 15, 2026