March NY world sugar #11 (SBH26) on Tuesday closed down -0.24 (-1.60%).  March London ICE white sugar #5 (SWH26) closed down -5.30 (-1.24%). Sugar prices retreated on Tuesday amid ramped-up production in India.  On Monday, the India Sugar Mill Association (ISMA) reported that India's 2025-26 sugar output from Oct 1-Jan 15 is up +22% y/y to 15.9 MMT. More News from Barchart Higher sugar production in Brazil is also bearish for prices after Unica reported last Tuesday that Brazil's cumulative 2025-26 C ...

Price Movements - March NY world sugar 11 is down -0.02 (-0.13%) while March London ICE white sugar 5 is up +2.00 (+0.47%) indicating mixed sugar prices today [1] Production and Supply - Brazil's cumulative 2025-26 Center-South sugar output through mid-December increased by +0.9% year-on-year to 40.158 million metric tons (MMT) with the ratio of cane crushed for sugar rising to 50.91% in 2025/26 from 48.19% in 2024/25 [1] - Covrig Analytics raised its 2025/26 global sugar surplus estimate to 4.7 MMT from 4.1 MMT in October, but projected a decrease in the 2026/27 global sugar surplus to 1.4 MMT due to weak prices discouraging production [2] - Consulting firm Safras & Mercado forecasts Brazil's sugar production in 2026/27 to decline by -3.91% to 41.8 MMT from 43.5 MMT expected in 2025/26, with exports expected to fall by -11% year-on-year to 30 MMT [4] - Indian sugar production for 2025-26 surged 25% year-on-year to 11.90 MMT, with the Indian Sugar Mill Association (ISMA) raising its production estimate to 31 MMT, up +18.8% year-on-year [5] Export Dynamics - India's food secretary indicated that the government may allow additional sugar exports to alleviate a domestic supply glut, with a quota system for sugar exports introduced in 2022/23 [6] - In November, India's food ministry announced it would permit mills to export 1.5 MMT of sugar in the 2025/26 season [6] Market Influences - Expectations of index-related buying of sugar futures for the annual rebalancing of commodity indexes are supportive for prices, with Citigroup projecting inflows of $1.2 billion in sugar futures contracts this week [3]

Core Insights - Sugar prices have been declining, with NY sugar reaching a 5-year low and London sugar hitting a 4.75-year low, reflecting a three-week downward trend [1] Group 1: Sugar Production and Prices - Brazil's sugar output in the first half of October increased by 1.3% year-on-year to 2.484 million tons, contributing to downward pressure on prices [2] - The percentage of sugarcane crushed for sugar in Brazil rose to 48.24% from 47.33% year-on-year [2] - Projections indicate that Brazil's Center-South sugar production for 2026/27 will rise by 3.9% year-on-year to a record 44 million tons [3] Group 2: Global Sugar Surplus - Datagro and BMI Group have projected a global sugar surplus for 2025/26, with estimates of 10.5 million tons and 4.1 million tons respectively [3] - The outlook for sugar prices is further pressured by expectations of increased sugar exports from India due to favorable monsoon conditions [4] Group 3: India's Sugar Production - India's sugar production is expected to increase by 19% year-on-year to 34.9 million tons for 2025/26, following a significant decline in 2024/25 [4] - India's cumulative monsoon rainfall was reported at 937.2 mm, 8% above normal, indicating a strong monsoon season [4] Group 4: Sugar Diversion and Exports - India may divert only 4 million tons of sugar for ethanol production in 2025/26, which is insufficient to alleviate the sugar surplus, potentially leading to increased exports [5] - Indian sugar mills may export up to 4 million tons of sugar, exceeding earlier expectations of 2 million tons [5]

Core Insights - Sugar prices are declining due to concerns over increased sugar exports from India, with expectations of exports rising to 4 million metric tons (MMT) for the 2025/26 season, surpassing earlier estimates of 2 MMT [1][6] - The Brazilian real's strength is limiting sugar price losses, as it reached a 15-month high against the dollar, discouraging export sales from Brazil's sugar producers [2] - An excessive short position in New York sugar futures could lead to potential gains in a short-covering rally, with funds increasing their net-short positions by 32,849 contracts to 182,608, the highest in nearly six years [3] Sugar Production and Export Trends - New York sugar prices recently hit a 4.25-year low, while London sugar fell to a 3.5-week low, driven by expectations of higher sugar production in Brazil, which reported a 16% year-on-year increase in sugar output for the first half of August [4] - Brazil's sugar mills are prioritizing sugar production over ethanol, with a higher percentage of sugarcane being crushed for sugar, expected to continue as harvesting peaks [5] - Cumulative sugar output in Brazil's Center-South region for the 2025-26 season is down 4.7% year-on-year to 22.886 MMT as of mid-August [4]