CropGPT - Sugar - Week 22

Global Sugar Market SummaryIndonesia's E5 fuel blending program is driving demand for domestically sourced molasses, but cheaper ethanol imports from Pakistan are creating a substitution effect that has compressed local molasses prices sharply, from IDR 2,500 to IDR 104,100 per kilogram. Sugarcane farmers are lobbying for import restrictions on ethanol feedstocks to protect domestic market economics. Infrastructure gaps remain a structural constraint: without adequate investment in local production capacity, the E5 program risks sustained import dependency and continued pricing instability for molasses.Fiji Sugar Corporation has restructured its cane payment framework, setting a current price of $42 per ton with a projected increase to $57.40 per ton for the 2026 season. The adjustment is intended to stabilize farmer cash flows and align earnings more closely with sugar market proceeds, while also reducing mill revenue exposure to price volatility and sustaining grower participation levels.Kenya has introduced minimum cane pricing at KES 5,500 per ton in response to an oversupply-driven price collapse in the domestic market. The regulatory floor is designed to protect farmer income and preserve operational liquidity across milling companies. Compliance monitoring will be critical to the effectiveness of this measure, as sustained adherence is necessary to maintain stability across both the farming and processing tiers of the supply chain.