13 April 2026
SA Canegrowers welcomes the signing of the second phase of the Sugar Industry Masterplan on Friday April 10, by the government, growers, millers, and commercial end-users including retailers and food and beverage manufacturers.
The South African sugar industry supports over one million livelihoods, making collaboration across the entire value chain essential to safeguarding an industry currently under significant strain from a high levels of imports and rising input costs.
SA Canegrowers is calling on retailers and food manufacturers to prioritise locally produced sugar, reinforcing support for livelihoods and rural development across South Africa.
“South Africa’s sugar industry is too important to fail. In signing the Masterplan, SA Canegrowers was expressing its commitment to work alongside the government and other stakeholders to build a resilient and sustainable sugar industry ” said Higgins Mdluli Chairman of SA Canegrowers. “The second phase of the Masterplan is a commitment from all stakeholders to work together, diversify, and build a proudly South African industry.”
The sugar industry supports growers in rural KwaZulu Natal and Mpumalanga where there are few other economic opportunities and is therefore essential to rural stability and development.
Currently growers are facing skyrocketing diesel costs and rising fertiliser costs, making it impossible to compete fairly against imports that are subsidised in their countries of origin.
South Africa needs a fair tariff system that protects local growers from unfair competition and highly subsidised sugar prices. It also needs the support of consumers to buy locally produced sugar as indicated on the label.
Representing 1,250 large-scale growers and 29,845 small-scale growers, SA Canegrowers remains firmly committed to growing a proudly South African sugar industry, one that ensures the country never has to rely on sugar imports.
The Masterplan also underscores the industry’s dedication to diversification as a pathway to long-term sustainability.
SA Canegrowers has been investigating biofuels and sustainable aviation fuels as diversification pathways. Investment in production facilities would require an environment conducive to foreign FDI as well as extensive government support.
SA Canegrowers will continue to work on ways to diversify the industry to sustain it for generations to come.
ENDS
For media enquiries:
Gerhard Mulder
gerhard@resolvecommunications.co.za
083 305 9361
Katharine Child
kath@resolvecommunications.co.za
083 566 7223