Podcast Episode Summary: Global Sugar Market Weekly Update — June 8, 2025

• This week’s podcast provides a structured analysis of developments across major sugar-producing nations and the broader global market dynamics as of early June 2025.
• Brazil is facing a sharp production decline in its 2025/26 harvest, particularly in the Center-South region, which has reported a 22.7% year-on-year drop in output by mid-May. This contraction, largely driven by unseasonal rainfall, has impacted both sugar and ethanol production. However, national output is still projected to reach between 44.1 and 45.9 million tons, with the state of Goiás showing positive growth due to improved land management and favorable weather. Ethanol production, in contrast, has plunged 35%, despite a brief spike in interest from rising oil prices, as adverse weather continues to disrupt operations.
• Thailand is on a recovery path, with 2024/25 sugar output rising 14% to 10 million metric tons, and further growth expected next season. This is attributed to better farming techniques and conditions. India is also seeing a 25% surge in production, forecasted to hit 35.3 million tons in 2025/26. However, a strict export cap of 800,000 metric tons remains in place to stabilize domestic prices, alongside new regulatory reforms aimed at enhancing transparency and integrating digital monitoring across sugar mills.
• Pakistan continues to grapple with operational inefficiencies and rising retail prices, up 21.6% year-on-year. The government has responded with temporary price controls and a third-party production audit to create a transparent pricing structure.
• In the Philippines, new regulations now require importers of sugar and substitutes to register and pay clearance fees, designed to protect domestic producers and stabilize the local market.
• At a global level, the sugar market is transitioning from deficit to surplus, propelled by rising output from key producers such as Brazil and India. This shift is influencing pricing, export strategies, and market confidence, while broader factors such as currency volatility continue to play a key role.

Navigating Sugar Beet in 2025

A warmer-than-average 2025 means fresh hurdles for England’s sugar-beet growers: no neonic seed treatment, rising Cercospora pressure, new insecticide and variety options, and the usual weather roller-coaster. In this episode we break down the latest BBRO and NFU guidance—plus field-tested tips—to help you defend both yield and sugar content.

1 · Major Disease Threats

Virus Yellows (BYV/BMYV/BChV)

• Still the single biggest risk: uncontrolled infections can slash yields by 50–80 %.
• No Cruiser SB emergency use in 2025—foliar control is essential.
• Defence plan
  • Plant partially tolerant varieties: Generosa, Tweed, Maruscha KWS.
  • Follow BBRO AphidWatch from 1 May; spray only when thresholds are passed.
  • The “three-spray toolkit”:
    1. Flonicamid (Teppeki/Afinto) – slow but gentle on beneficials.
    2. Acetamiprid (Insyst) – fast knock-down, up to 16 leaves.
    3. Flupyradifurone (Sivanto Prime) – new systemic option, up to 9 leaves.
  • Rotate chemistries, use ≥ 200 L ha⁻¹ water, and destroy volunteer beet/weed hosts.

Cercospora Leaf Spot

• Incidence climbing with hotter, humid summers; severe outbreaks can halve sugar.
• Defence plan
  • Trial Chyma KWS, the UK’s first CLS-resistant variety.
  • Adopt a robust two-spray fungicide block: anchor with Revystar XE (can be used twice), then follow with Priori Gold/Escolta and Caligula (post-1 Sept).
  • Spray preventively (late July first hit), use 150–200 L ha⁻¹ water, and track BBRO SporeNet.
  • Maintain 3–4 year rotations and plough down beet residues.

2 · Key Pests to Watch

• Aphids – primarily managed as virus vectors (see above).
• Beet Moth (Scrobipalpa ocellatella)
  • First major UK damage in the 2022 heatwave.
  • Monitor with pheromone traps (June–Aug) and frequent crop scouting.
  • Irrigation or high-volume pyrethroids give only partial control—harvest damaged fields early and bury residues.
• Beet Cyst Nematode (BCN)
  • Yield drag of 15–60 % on infested sands.
  • Keep beet to 1-in-4 rotation, grow mustard/oil-radish trap crops post-cereal, and use modern BCN-tolerant beet where egg counts exceed 2 g⁻¹ soil.

3 · Weather Hazards & How to Mitigate Them

Drought & Heat

• Typical 10–25 % yield drag; growth stalls above 30 °C.
• Boost soil organic matter, subsoil for depth, aim for full canopy by late June, and—if possible—apply a single 25–50 mm irrigation in late June/early July on light land.

Excess Rain / Flooding

• Beets survive about 5–7 days underwater before root death.
• Keep drains/ditches clear, harvest low fields first, pump standing water fast, and send flood-damaged roots directly to the factory.

Hard Frosts

• Freeze-thaw can ruin roots within 48 h.
• Lift high-risk blocks before Christmas, straw-insulate clamps, leave canopy intact as insulation, and rush frosted roots to processing.

4 · Five-Point Action Checklist

1. Stack traits – choose varieties with virus, CLS, and BCN tolerance for risky fields.
2. Monitor smarter – AphidWatch, SporeNet, pheromone traps; act on thresholds, not dates.
3. Rotate chemistry – three distinct aphid modes + a sturdy two-spray fungicide block.
4. Stay weather-aware – adjust drilling, irrigation, harvest order, and clamp protection ahead of extreme events.
5. Keep learning – follow BBRO bulletins and local trials; tweak tactics as the season unfolds.

Links & Resources

• BBRO AphidWatch & SporeNet – bbro.co.uk
• NFU Sugar Bulletin – nfuonline.com
• Revystar XE label & timing – BASF UK
• 2025 Recommended List & new tolerant varieties – breeders’ sites / BBRO

Global Sugar Market Weekly Summary

For the Week of April 27, 2025

Welcome to the weekly summary of the global sugar market.
For more detailed reporting and analysis, visit the CropGPT website.

Key Market Updates:

India – Uttar Pradesh’s Push for Sugar Sector Growth

• The Uttar Pradesh government, under Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath, aims to elevate the state's economy to a trillion-dollar scale, with a strong emphasis on the sugar industry.
• Over 16,000 centers were inspected this season, leading to punitive actions for procurement irregularities to protect sugarcane farmers.
• Plans are underway to expand sugarcane and jaggery production, targeting an industry value of ₹1.62 lakh crore within three years.

Brazil – Mixed Sugar Production Outlook

• Brazil’s 2025 sugar production is forecasted to grow 2.3% to 44.7 million metric tons, supported by expanded crystallization capacities and favorable milling conditions.
• However, adverse weather in São Paulo could cause a 3.4% production decline, dragging production to 44.1 million metric tons.
• Brazil's dominant position continues to exert downward pressure on global sugar prices.

Thailand – Export Crisis Due to Chinese Ban

• Thailand's sugar sector faces financial hardship after China banned sugar syrup imports citing sanitation concerns.
• Despite inspections, the ban remains unresolved, resulting in severe operational disruptions for Thai exporters.

Egypt – Sugar Self-Sufficiency Milestone

• Egypt achieved self-sufficiency in sugar production, exceeding 3 million metric tons in 2025, driven by increased sugar beet cultivation.
• The government plans to introduce a value-added tax (VAT) on sugar in fiscal year 2025–26 to sustain production and bolster revenues.

Philippines – Stable but Constrained Outlook

• Sugar output is expected to stabilize at 1.85 million metric tons in 2026.
• Despite lower mill site prices anticipated in 2025, steady domestic demand, especially from industrial users, supports continued cultivation.

Russia (Krasnodar Region) – Harvest Challenges and Recovery Efforts

• Sugar beet harvests fell 24% in 2024 to 7.3 million tons.
• However, a 12% increase in cultivation area for 2025 signals efforts toward production recovery, backed by governmental support.

Global Market Trends:

• Government policies, climate impacts, and trade barriers continue to heavily influence sugar production and pricing worldwide.
• While Brazil and Egypt project growth, Thailand faces major export challenges that could tighten regional supplies.
• Analysts remain vigilant as global demand and price trajectories are expected to shift based on upcoming seasonal and geopolitical developments.