How much sugar did China import in 2025?

China imported approximately 4.9179 million metric tons of sugar in 2025, up roughly 561,400 MT year-on-year — the fourth-highest level in the past decade. Raw sugar accounted for 4.5715 million MT; refined white sugar for 344,100 MT.

What was the trend in China's sugar import prices in 2025?

The average CIF (cost, insurance, freight) price for sugar imports in 2025 was approximately CNY 3,162/MT, down about CNY 752/MT year-on-year. The December 2025 average was around CNY 3,039/MT, the lowest in the same month over the past five years.

How dependent is China on Brazilian sugar imports?

China imported approximately 4.2916 million MT of sugar from Brazil in 2025, representing 87.26% of its total sugar imports. For raw sugar specifically, Brazil's share is around 93%. Brazil is by far China's single largest sugar supplier.

Which provinces imported the most sugar in 2025?

Guangdong and Shandong led with approximately 989,400 MT and 988,800 MT respectively. Beijing ranked third at 868,800 MT, followed by Guangxi at 590,700 MT and Liaoning at 477,600 MT.

What were the main trade channels used for sugar imports in 2025?

General trade accounted for about 2.8602 million MT (58.16%), while goods entering/exiting bonded warehouses totalled 1.4322 million MT (29.12%). Together, these two channels covered nearly 90% of total imports.

China Sugar Import Report 2025–2026 | Volume, Price, Origins & Provincial Breakdown

1. Annual Import Trend, 2000–2026

A long-term perspective on China's sugar import volumes to gauge where 2025 stands relative to historical peaks.

Annual Sugar Imports, China, 2000–2025

Source: General Administration of Customs (unit: 10,000 MT, rounded). Click here for interactive chart →

4.9179M MT
2025 total sugar imports
Up 561,400 MT vs. 2024; fourth-highest level in the past decade.
500M+ MT
Exceeded 5 million MT for 3 consecutive years (2020–2022)
Peak was 2021 at ~5.67 million MT — the highest in nearly 20 years.
87.26%
Import share from Brazil
Raw sugar is overwhelmingly sourced from Brazil — the key variable driving import costs.

2. 2025 China Sugar Imports: Key Metrics at a Glance

Volume, product mix, prices, origins, and trade structure — the full picture in eight data points.

4.9179M MT

Total Annual Imports (+12.89% YoY)

China imported 4.9179 million MT of sugar in 2025, up 561,400 MT year-on-year and roughly 80,000 MT above the five-year average — placing it in the "above-average" range.

4.5715M MT

Raw Sugar: 92.96% of Total

Raw sugar imports reached 4.5715 million MT (92.96% share). Refined white sugar was just 344,100 MT — the lowest in a decade — as imports were primarily sourced for refinery processing.

CNY 3,162/MT

CIF Price Falls Sharply

The full-year average CIF price was ~CNY 3,162/MT, down ~CNY 752/MT year-on-year — the lowest since 2022 — significantly reducing downstream procurement costs.

4.2916M MT

Brazil: Dominant Single Source

China imported 4.2916 million MT from Brazil, representing 87.26% of total sugar imports. Dependence on a single supplier increased further year-on-year.

989,400 MT

Guangdong Ranks #1 by Province

Guangdong and Shandong led all provinces at ~989,400 MT and ~988,800 MT respectively. Beijing, Guangxi, and Liaoning rounded out the top five.

2.8602M MT

General Trade Remains Primary Channel

General trade accounted for 2.8602 million MT (58.16%); goods moving through bonded warehouses added 1.4322 million MT (29.12%) — together nearly 90% of total imports.

144,100 MT

Exports: Limited Impact on Balance

China exported approximately 144,100 MT of sugar in 2025, primarily to North Korea and Hong Kong SAR. The volume is small enough to have negligible impact on domestic supply-demand.

1.7626M MT

2025/26 Crush Season Arrivals Accelerated

Cumulative imports in October–December 2025 totalled 1.7626 million MT — up 300,900 MT year-on-year — suggesting faster-than-usual pre-season inventory replenishment.

3. 2025 Monthly Import Rhythm

Monthly data reveals concentrated arrival windows and shifts in product composition throughout the year.

Monthly Sugar Import Volume, China, 2017–2026

China monthly sugar import volume trend 2017–2026

Source: General Administration of Customs

December 2025: Volume & Product Mix

December imports (total)580,000 MT

580k

of which: raw sugar~528,000 MT

528k

of which: white sugar~51,100 MT

51k

December arrivals were dominated by raw sugar, serving refinery pre-crush-season stocking needs.

2025/26 Crush Season (Oct–Dec) Arrivals

Crush-season imports1.7626M MT

1.76M

YoY increase+300,900 MT

+301k

YoY growth rate~+20.6%

+20.6%

Early 2025/26 crush-season arrivals clearly outpaced the prior season, adding competitive pressure on domestically produced sugar.

4. Import Prices: Costs Fall Sharply

A pullback in global sugar prices combined with exchange-rate movements drove a pronounced decline in China's 2025 import costs.

CNY 3,162.15
Full-year 2025 avg. CIF import price (per MT)
Down ~CNY 751.67/MT YoY; ~CNY 254/MT below the five-year average.
CNY 3,039
December 2025 avg. import price (per MT)
~CNY 933/MT below December 2024; the lowest December reading in five years.
USD 374.55
Brazil avg. export price, December 2025 (per MT)
Down 21.6% YoY; lowest since November 2021 — directly pulling down China's import costs.

China CIF Import Price: Year-on-Year Comparison

2025CNY 3,162/MT

3,162

Five-year average~CNY 3,416/MT

3,416

2024~CNY 3,914/MT

3,914

The 2025 CIF price dropped markedly from 2024 levels, delivering a clear cost advantage for importers.

Key Drivers Behind the Price Decline

Bumper sugarcane harvests in Brazil and steady milling kept global supply loose, pulling raw sugar futures off their highs.
Brazilian export quotations fell continuously; the December average hit USD 374.55/MT — a near four-year low.
A relatively stable CNY/USD rate allowed offshore price declines to feed through fully into domestic CIF costs.
Policy guidance on inventory and quota timing limited speculative mark-ups in import pricing.

5. Origin Countries: Brazil Overwhelmingly Dominant

The overall picture remains "Brazil-led, supplemented by Thailand and Central America," though non-Brazilian sources are gaining a slightly larger foothold.

Rank	Origin Country	Volume (10,000 MT)	Share	YoY Change
1	Brazil	429.16	87.26%	+45.92 (×10,000 MT)
2	Thailand	17.17	3.49%	Notably higher
3	South Korea	11.84	2.41%	—
4	Nicaragua	9.57	1.95%	Notably higher
5	El Salvador	9.00	1.83%	Notably higher

Raw Sugar Origins (total 4.5715M MT)

Brazil~4.2804M MT (~93%)

4.28M

Nicaragua95,700 MT

95.7k

El Salvador90,000 MT

90k

Others~105,000 MT

~105k

Raw sugar is highly concentrated in Brazil; Central American nations are gradually increasing their share.

White Sugar Origins (total 344,100 MT)

Thailand~146,000 MT (~42%)

146k

South Korea~118,000 MT (~34%)

118k

Other countries~80,000 MT

~80k

White sugar origins are more diversified, primarily serving structural supplementation and specific quality requirements.

6. Provincial Breakdown: Coastal Hubs & Sugar-Belt Provinces

Coastal trading hubs and major sugar-producing provinces together define the geographic footprint of China's sugar imports.

Rank	Province / Region	Volume (10,000 MT)	Share	Product Type
1	Guangdong	98.94	20.12%	Raw 90.56 + White 8.15
2	Shandong	98.88	20.10%	Raw 93.11 + White 5.77
3	Beijing	86.88	17.66%	Raw 79.34 + White 7.52
4	Guangxi	59.07	12.01%	Raw 59.07 (decade-high)
5	Liaoning	47.76	9.71%	Raw 41.47 + White 6.29
6	Jiangsu	36.19	7.36%	Predominantly raw
7	Hebei	27.31	5.55%	Predominantly raw

Raw Sugar Imports by Province (Top 5)

Shandong931,100 MT

931k

Guangdong905,600 MT

906k

Beijing793,400 MT

793k

Guangxi590,700 MT

591k

Liaoning414,700 MT

415k

Guangxi's raw sugar imports hit a decade-high, reflecting an increase in direct imports by producing-region refineries.

White Sugar Imports by Province

Guangdong81,500 MT

81.5k

Beijing75,200 MT

75.2k

Liaoning62,900 MT

62.9k

Shandong57,700 MT

57.7k

White sugar is used primarily for structural supplementation; its provincial distribution closely tracks consumption and re-export demand.

7. Trade Channels: General Trade & Bonded Warehouses Lead

Different trade channels carry distinct tariff treatments, policy implications, and end-market uses.

2025 Imports by Trade Channel (total ~4.92M MT)

General Trade2.8602M MT (58.16%)

2.86M

Bonded Warehouse Goods1.4322M MT (29.12%)

1.43M

Special Customs Zone Logistics427,100 MT (8.69%)

427k

Processing with Imported Materials192,600 MT (3.92%)

193k

Processing with Customer's Materials5,400 MT (0.11%)

5.4k

General trade and bonded channels combined account for nearly 90% of total imports — the core indicators for reading import pace.

Raw Sugar by Trade Channel (4.5715M MT)

General Trade~2.7762M MT (~61%)

2.78M

Bonded Warehouse~1.4312M MT (~31%)

1.43M

Other Channels~360,000 MT

~360k

Bonded-warehouse raw sugar imports surged ~515,000 MT YoY, reflecting active warehouse-trade and re-export activity.

Scope Note: "Bonded Warehouse Goods" and "Special Customs Zone Logistics Goods" are consolidated under the customs statistical classification categories used in this report. Due to rounding, sub-totals may not sum precisely to the reported total — this is a normal statistical artifact.

8. Sugar Exports: Small Volume, Premium Pricing

Exported products are primarily branded finished sugar or value-added processed goods, priced well above CIF import costs.

144,100 MT
China sugar exports, 2025
Up ~1,400 MT YoY; historically low volume.
CNY 4,829.78
Average export price (per MT)
Down ~CNY 627/MT vs. 2024, but still significantly above the ~CNY 3,162/MT import CIF.
41.14%
North Korea's share of exports
North Korea + Hong Kong SAR together account for over 60% of exports.

Rank	Export Destination	Volume (10,000 MT)	Share
1	North Korea	5.93	41.14%
2	Hong Kong SAR	3.17	21.98%
3	Other countries & regions	~5.31	~36.88%

9. The Brazil Lens: Global Exports Down, China Surges

Viewing China's demand through Brazil's export lens helps explain import cost dynamics and supply-security considerations.

33.774M MT
Brazil's total sugar exports, 2025
Down 11.7% YoY, yet still the second-highest on record — behind only 2024's 38.237 million MT.
USD 14.109B
Total export revenue
Down 24.2% YoY; price declines were the primary driver.
4.739M MT
China's purchases from Brazil
~14% of Brazil's total exports; up 56.9% YoY — China is Brazil's No. 1 buyer.

Brazil Export Volume & Revenue: 2024 vs. 2025

2024 export volume38.237M MT

38.24M

2025 export volume33.774M MT

33.77M

2024 export revenue~USD 18.618B

18.62B

2025 export revenueUSD 14.109B

14.11B

Brazil Export Structure & China's Position

Raw sugar exports29.469M MT (87.3%)

29.47M

White sugar exports4.305M MT (12.7%)

4.31M

China (buyer #1)4.739M MT (14.0%)

4.74M

India (buyer #2)2.628M MT (7.8%)

2.63M

Algeria (buyer #3)2.121M MT (6.3%)

2.12M

China is firmly established as Brazil's single largest sugar buyer and wields considerable influence over Brazilian exports and global pricing.

10. Frequently Asked Questions

Structured answers to the questions most important to industry participants, based on data presented in this report.

1. Why did China's sugar imports stay elevated in 2025 despite a recovery in domestic production?

Although domestic sugarcane and beet output improved in 2025, several forces sustained import demand: consumption recovery, rising industrial end-use, restocking requirements, and — critically — a sharp drop in global sugar prices that significantly reduced the cost of importing. As long as the domestic-international price spread remained attractive, imports continued to serve both supply security and cost-optimization objectives.

2. What risks does China's heavy reliance on Brazil for sugar imports create?

A single-source concentration of 87% means China is acutely exposed to Brazilian weather, domestic policy shifts, currency moves, and shipping capacity. Any major crop shortfall or export-policy change in Brazil would immediately spike China's import costs and potentially threaten supply adequacy. Gradually increasing sourcing from Thailand and Central America to build a diversified supply network is therefore a strategically important medium-to-long-term priority.

3. What drove the large drop in China's average import price in 2025?

The full-year average CIF price fell to ~CNY 3,162/MT — down ~CNY 752/MT year-on-year. The primary cause was the global sugar price retreat: Brazilian export quotations plunged 21.6% to USD 374.55/MT in December, a near four-year low. Falling ocean freight rates and globally ample sugar supply reinforced the decline, while a stable Chinese yuan ensured that overseas price drops were fully transmitted into domestic CIF costs.

4. What notable structural shifts appeared in the provincial breakdown for 2025?

Beijing's raw sugar imports fell by nearly half compared to the prior year, while Guangxi's raw sugar imports reached a decade high. This signals a clearer delineation of roles: coastal trading hubs continue to handle bulk imports and trans-shipment, while sugar-belt provinces import more directly to feed their local refineries — shortening supply chains and reducing overall logistics costs.

5. What is the likely outlook for China's sugar imports in 2026?

In 2026, China's sugar imports are expected to follow a "stable within-quota, profit-driven out-of-quota" pattern. Given significantly higher domestic production, elevated inventories, and Brazil's near-complete dominance of supply, total 2026 imports are projected to dip to around 4.80 million MT. The issuance of out-of-quota import licenses will likely be delayed or rationed in response to the domestic supply-demand balance and prevailing sugar prices.

11. Data Sources, Methodology & Editorial Credentials

This report combines authoritative public data with long-term industry expertise to ensure reliable, actionable analysis.

📊 Experience — Long-term China Sugar Market Tracking

The YnSugar Analysis Team editorial team has continuously monitored China's and the global sugar supply-demand, import/export flows, and policy landscape, maintaining a comprehensive historical database and chart library.

🎓 Expertise — Cross-disciplinary Statistical Analysis

Data from customs statistics, futures exchange prices, and spot-market surveys are cross-validated to eliminate single-source bias and enhance analytical accuracy.

🏛 Authoritativeness — Official Primary Sources Only

All import/export figures are drawn from public statistics of the General Administration of Customs of China (GACC); Brazilian export data comes from Brazil's Secretariat of Foreign Trade (SECEX) official annual reports.

✅ Trustworthiness — Transparent Scope & Risk Disclosures

Statistical coverage, units, and rounding conventions are stated explicitly throughout. A risk disclaimer and non-investment-advice notice are included at the end of the report.

Data & Methodology Notes

Import and export volumes are based on GACC statistics for January–December 2025; unit is 10,000 metric tons (×10,000 MT), with all figures rounded to two decimal places.
Price data reflects CIF (cost, insurance, freight) landed prices; CNY figures are converted at the prevailing average exchange rate for the period; some values are rounded.
Brazilian export volume, product mix, and major buyer data are sourced from SECEX's 2025 annual statistical bulletin.
Certain historical records (e.g., 2021 import peak) are based on multi-year GACC data consolidated by the YnSugar Analysis Team research team.
If official authorities subsequently publish revised figures, this report will not be updated retroactively. Please refer to the final official release for definitive data.

Important Disclaimer: This report is intended solely as a data reference and analytical framework for sugar industry participants, research institutions, and professionals. All conclusions represent a reasonable interpretation of publicly available data as of the publication date and do not constitute any investment, speculative, or hedging advice. Readers should exercise independent judgment, taking into account their own risk tolerance and professional counsel, before making any decisions based on this report.