China's Overseas Sugarcane Imports See Significant Growth in March 2026, Q1 Cumulative Exceeds 2.3 Million Tons

According to the latest data released by the General Administration of Customs of China, the country's overseas sugarcane imports showed robust performance in March 2026, reaching 805,100 tons. This represents a year-on-year increase of 48,900 tons, indicating a sustained growth in domestic demand for sugarcane. For the cumulative period from January to March 2026, China's total sugarcane imports amounted to 2.3381 million tons, an increase of 116,200 tons compared to the same period last year. This upward trend reflects a gradual increase in the Chinese sugar industry's reliance on international raw material supplies. Regarding the countries of origin, Myanmar remains the primary source for China's sugarcane imports, contributing 1.5958 million tons, accounting for a significant 68.25%. Laos followed with 689,000 tons, making up 29.47% of the total. Vietnam also supplied 53,300 tons, representing 2.28%. This highlights China's concentrated sugarcane imports from neighboring Southeast Asian nations. Domestically, Yunnan province, leveraging its unique geographical advantage, emerged as the absolute leader in sugarcane imports, with 2.2911 million tons, capturing a dominant 97.99% share. Guangxi province also imported 47,000 tons, accounting for 2.01%. These two border provinces play a crucial role in China's sugarcane trade. Notably, by the end of March in the 2025/26 crushing season, China's cumulative sugarcane imports had reached 3.3477 million tons, an increase of 249,700 tons year-on-year. This figure further confirms the strong demand for imported sugarcane raw materials in China's sugar production and suggests continued active trade in sugarcane and sugar in the future.