1.5 million tons of white sugar produced by the UAE in 2025

The UAE’s total production of white sugar reached about 1.5 million tons during the year 2025, topping global production rates in white sugar markets, according to statements by Jamal Al Ghurair, managing director and main shareholder of Al Khaleej Sugar Company.

He revealed during the tenth session of the Dubai Sugar 2026 conference, which was held from the third to the fifth of February in Dubai, that the volume of local consumption of white sugar does not exceed about 250 thousand tons annually, pointing out that the prices of white sugar in the UAE and global markets recorded a decline of about 20% during the year 2025.

He pointed out that “the sugar market locally and globally is witnessing a state of relative stability, despite the challenges facing the industry, most notably the protective measures implemented by some countries in the region and the world, in contrast to the open trade policy pursued by the UAE market, which remains open to various countries without restrictions.”

Al Ghurair stressed that “the company’s sugar exports, which currently reach about 30 markets around the world, have not been significantly affected by shipping prices, while they remain more affected by fluctuations in global sugar prices, in addition to protectionist policies in some foreign markets.”

He added, “The company deals with external protective measures with flexibility commensurate with the nature of each market and the level of customs duties imposed,” explaining that “India is the largest exporter of sugar to the UAE without imposing customs duties.”

The “Dubai Sugar 2026” conference witnessed the participation of more than 1,000 delegates representing 75 countries, to discuss the future opportunities and challenges of the sugar industry in light of the decline in the global surplus, the escalation of geopolitical fluctuations, and the increase in climate risks, in addition to the rapid transformations imposed by artificial intelligence on global value chains.

The conference was held this year under the slogan “Artificial Intelligence – An Innovative Vision for Shaping the Future of Sugar,” as participants stressed that artificial intelligence has become an essential tool for enhancing operational efficiency, improving predictability, and supporting sustainability, in light of the complexities of the climate.

and changing trade policies.
The conference also focused on global market expectations, with expectations of a decrease in the surplus during the 2026/2027 season as a result of declining prices, production and inventories, in addition to examining crop conditions in the main producing countries, most notably Brazil, India and Thailand, and the growing role of sugar refineries in the Middle East and North Africa in balancing global trade flows.