São Paulo – Algeria is on top of the ranking of Brazilian sugar importers during the current cane crop, as per numbers from the Brazilian Sugarcane Industry Association (UNICA). The Arab country imported 588,000 tonnes from Brazil in Q2 2019, 13% of all the sugar Brazil shipped overseas in the quarter. The current cane crop season runs from last April to next March.
Out of the ten leading importers of sugar from Brazil, half are Arab countries. In addition to Algeria as the leading buyer of the current crop season, Saudi Arabia is the fourth top buyer, the United Arab Emirates are the sixth, Egypt is the seventh, and Iraq is the ninth. China is second, Nigeria third, Bangladesh fifth, India eight, and the United States tenth.
Overall, Brazil exported 4.5 million tonnes of sugar in Q2, down 10% from a year ago. In value, exports slid 13%, to 1.3 billion. April saw an increase in both volume and revenue, but the last two months, May and June, recorded a decrease. The figures from UNICA included all types of sugar, raw or refined.
Despite being the top destination of Brazilian sugar, Algeria reduced its purchases of the product by 19%. In Q2 2018, Algerians acquired 725,900 tonnes of sugar from Brazil. In Q2 2019, however, this volume was 138,000 tonnes smaller. Saudis purchase 326,400 tonnes of Brazilian sugar during the current crop season, down 3.5% year-on-year.
On the other hand, the United Arab Emirates increased their imports by 24%, to 295,700 tonnes, and Egypt also purchased more, up 21%, to 264,800 tonnes. Iraq reduced its purchases by 26%, acquiring 218,200 tonnes. Brazilian sugar was exported for an average price of USD 299.19 per tonne, up 2% from the value last crop season, which was USD 293.70 per tonne.
As per UNICA fortnightly report published this week, the current crop season through July 16 saw Brazilian plants producing 10.86 million tonnes of sugar, compared to 12.17 million in the same period in 2018. At the same period, the sugarcane crushing reached 258.13 million tonnes, down 4%.
Translated by Guilherme Miranda
