China's Overseas Sugarcane Imports Soar in May 2026, Reaching a Decade High for the Period

According to the latest data released by the General Administration of Customs, China's overseas sugarcane imports showed robust growth in May 2026, reaching 200,200 tons. This figure represents a substantial increase of 170,100 tons compared to the same period last year, marking an impressive year-on-year growth of 340.20%, indicating a significant rise in domestic demand for imported sugarcane. Despite the sharp increase in volume, the average CIF price for sugarcane in May was 506.02 yuan/ton, a slight decrease of 4.03 yuan/ton, or 0.79%, compared to the previous year. Looking at the broader period, from January to May 2026, China's cumulative sugarcane imports totaled 3.2167 million tons. This figure represents an increase of 636,500 tons year-on-year, a growth of 24.67%, and notably, it marks the highest import volume for the same period in the past decade, underscoring the active nature of China's sugarcane imports during the current crushing season. Regarding the countries of origin, Myanmar maintained its dominant position, exporting 2.2456 million tons of sugarcane to China, an increase of 431,300 tons year-on-year, accounting for 69.81% of the total imports. Laos followed with 917,600 tons, making up 28.53% of imports, while Vietnam ranked third with 53,500 tons, representing 1.66%. These three nations collectively form the primary channels for China's overseas sugarcane imports. Domestically, Yunnan Province emerged as the leading importing region by a significant margin, with cumulative sugarcane imports of 3.1697 million tons, accounting for 98.54% of the national total. Guangxi Province also contributed 47,000 tons, representing 1.46%. It is worth noting that the average CIF price for sugarcane imports from January to May 2026 was 481.29 yuan/ton, a marginal increase of 3.18 yuan/ton, or 0.67%, year-on-year. For the entire 2025/26 crushing season (from October 2025 to May 2026), China's cumulative sugarcane imports have already reached 4.2263 million tons, an increase of 770,000 tons year-on-year, representing a growth of 22.28%, further confirming the strong momentum of China's sugarcane imports this season.