South African sugarcane growers are warning that an unprecedented surge in sugar imports is threatening local jobs and rural livelihoods, as SA Canegrowers launches its Save Our Sugar campaign. The campaign, which encourages consumers to buy locally produced sugar, has already attracted more than 70,000 pledges from South Africans.
“This groundswell of public support is heartening, and every single consumer’s commitment makes a difference. But the threat persists. We are still tracking sugar imports at levels with no precedent in recent history,” said Higgins Mdluli, chairman of SA Canegrowers.
Figures released by SARS show that 153,344 tons of heavily subsidised sugar were imported into South Africa between January and September this year. By comparison, only 20,924 tons were imported over the same period in 2020, while the previous highest level was 55,213 tons in 2024. South Africa’s sugarcane industry produces enough sugar to meet local demand, meaning these imports are unnecessary.
SA Canegrowers attributes the spike in imports to two main factors. Major sugar-producing countries heavily subsidise their production and sometimes subsidise exports, creating distorted prices on the global market. At the same time, South Africa’s import tariff adjustments were delayed in response to low world sugar prices, allowing unprecedented quantities of foreign sugar to flood the market. Imported sugar is sold to consumers at prices close to local sugar, providing profits to foreign importers while undermining local growers and millers.
The sharp rise in imports threatens the sustainability of South Africa’s sugar sector and the livelihoods it supports. The country has 27,000 small-scale and 1,100 large-scale growers, many of whom are concentrated in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal. SA Canegrowers warns that continued imports could lead to job losses, farm closures, and weakening rural economies.
The campaign encourages consumers to pledge support at www.saveoursugar.org.za, and urges beverage and food producers and retailers to source and sell locally produced sugar. Already, the drop in local sugar sales has caused losses of R684 million this year, and rising input costs and the sugar tax could further threaten the industry.
“We are hopeful that as the campaign unfolds with help of South Africans, Proudly South Africa and government, a crisis can be averted in the local sugar industry. If it is not, then hundreds of thousands of livelihoods are at risk which have a negative impact on the country as a whole,” said Mdluli.
The Save Our Sugar campaign highlights the importance of supporting local agriculture, ensuring fair competition, and protecting rural economies that rely heavily on the sugar industry.
