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SA sugar industry set for a bigger harvest

Farmer's Weekly

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August 15-22, 2025

South Africa’s sugar cane growers are expecting a significantly improved harvest this season, following a rebound in rainfall after last year’s drier-than-normal conditions, according to the South African Cane Growers’ Association (SA Canegrowers).

SA sugar industry set for a bigger harvest

The current estimate for the 2025 season stands at 17,7 million tons of sugar cane, which was 7,47% up on the 16,47 million tons produced in the previous year.

"While this recovery in yield is welcome news, the industry's economic outlook remains under serious threat due to delays in adjusting South Africa's import tariff, the flood of cheap imports into the country, and the looming 30% tariff by the US on South African sugar exports," said Higgins Mdluli, chairperson of SA Canegrowers, in a statement.

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