Sugar prices rose to an over-decade high in recent weeks, averaging USD 26.3 cents per pound in September, up 9.8% from August’s price and 48.4% higher year on year. On 29 September, sugar traded at USD 26.0 cents per pound, 4.7% higher month on month.
Fears over supply boosted sugar prices in September, as the El Niño weather phenomenon is causing drier weather in key sugar-producing countries, such as India and Thailand. Recent monsoon rains in India were the weakest in five years, sparking concerns that the country might not export any sugar at all in the new season that started on 1 October. In Thailand, dams and reservoirs were at half capacity by early October amid a lack of rainfall.
Sugar ISA (prices in US¢/lb, aop)
Q1 2021 | Q2 2021 | Q3 2021 | Q4 2021 | Q1 2022 | Q2 2022 | Q3 2022 | Q4 2022 | |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Sugar ISA | - | - | - | - | 18.41 | 19.35 | 17.93 | 18.34 |