Media Statement by SA Canegrowers
September 30, 2025
Save our Sugar campaign calls on South Africans to choose job creating local sugar
SA Canegrowers is launching the Save our Sugar campaign (https://saveoursugar.org.za/) to urge consumers, retailers, and businesses to proudly choose locally produced sugar over imported sugar. By doing so, South Africans are supporting local sugarcane growers and the one million livelihoods they support.
South Africa’s sugar industry produces more than enough sugar to meet all South African demand – both for retail consumers and for commercial users like food and drinks manufacturers.
However, imported sugar threatens the viability of the local industry. Highly subsidised sugar from other countries is opportunistically brought into South Africa by importers. This sugar does not benefit the end consumers, as importers use the highly distorted global sugar market to inflate their profits.
For every ton of sugar imported, South African growers lose R7,600 in revenue, which can quickly compound into devastating losses. In June and July this year, 90,000 tons of sugar were imported, leading to a loss of R684 million for the South African sugar industry. This means that the over 24,000 small-scale and 1,200 large-scale local growers have less to invest their operations, to pay wages, and to support their local rural communities.
The money is lost not just to sugarcane growers, but to the rural economy as there are then less resources to spend in communities on food and services. Sugarcane is an economic lifeline for South Africa’s rural communities in Mpumalanga and KwaZulu-Natal, and imported sugar puts the livelihoods of thousands of South Africans at risk.
By consciously choosing local sugar, South Africans can help protect jobs, and sustain rural communities. Consumers can also be confident in the quality of their choice: South Africa produces some of the best quality sugar in the world, adhering to strict environmental, safety, and labour standards.
“Buying local sugar is about more than what’s on your table – it’s about ensuring that the industry continues to support rural livelihoods, drive transformation, and provide consumers with high-quality, home-grown sugar,” said Higgins Mdluli, chairman of SA Canegrowers.
“We urge everyone to take a moment to look carefully at the sugar they buy at their local store. If it says ‘produced’ or ‘grown’ in South Africa – you will be supporting local growers. But be careful, importers often try to mislead you by saying the sugar was ‘packed’ in South Africa – this might contain imported sugar. Make the wise choice and support products that clearly state its South African origin,” Mdluli said.
To pledge your support for South Africa’s sugarcane growers, please visit: https://saveoursugar.org.za/
ENDS
For media enquiries:
Gerhard Mulder
gerhard@resolvecommunications.co.za
083 305 9361