Illovo Sugar Limited Logo

Skip Navigation LinksWorld of Sugar > Sugar Statistics > International

International Sugar Statistics

The international sugar season runs from October to September


Sustainability


The global sugar industry is one of the world’s oldest agriculturally-based industries, which is estimated to produce around 167 million tons of sugar in the 2010/11 international sugar season. Whilst many forces continually impact upon annual global production, a major sustainability feature of this industry is its historic and ongoing sugar consumption growth, which on average, increases by around 1.8% per annum. Africa, with its favourable agronomic conditions, has significant potential to contribute towards the production needed to meet this growing demand. Illovo, as a world-class, low-cost, highly efficient sugar producer, operating in Africa, is well-placed to participate in this ongoing growth opportunity. The following tables, graphs and data are intended to promote a broader understanding of the dynamic international circumstances in which the Illovo group operates.


Overview


More than 100 countries produce sugar, about 81% of which is made from sugar cane grown primarily in the tropical and sub-tropical zones of the southern hemisphere, and the balance from sugar beet which is grown mainly in the temperate zones of the northern hemisphere. Generally, the costs of producing sugar from sugar cane are lower than those in respect of processing sugar beets. Currently, 72% of the world’s sugar is consumed in the countries of origin, whilst the balance is traded on world markets. (Source: Czarnikow Sugar 2010/11, Oct/Sep basis.)


Country producer

Production

Exports

Population

Per capita

million tons

million tons

#

millions

Consumption - Kgs

Brazil

40.502

26.300

1

197

62

India

25.728

2.837

3

1 214

19

EU

15.446

0.707

9

499

35

China

11.815

1 362

11

Thailand

10.230

6.827

2

69

40

United States of America

7.113

321

40

Mexico

5.682

1.027

8

112

39

SADC

5.233

2.004

5

256

13

Australia

4.083

2.483

4

22

49

Pakistan

3.913

189

21

# - Denotes ranking in terms of world exports









Back to Top