Egypt Sugar Market Size, Share, Opportunities, And Trends By Form (Granulated, Powdered, Syrup), By Source (Cane Sugar, Beet Sugar), By Use (Food And Beverage, Pharmaceuticals), And By Distribution Channel (Online, Offline) - Forecasts From 2025 To 2030

Egypt Sugar Market Size:

Egypt's sugar market is anticipated to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 3.19% over the forecast period, reaching US$6.354 billion by 2030, up from an initial value of US$5.431 billion in 2025.

Egypt Sugar Market Trends:

Several key factors significantly influence the Egyptian sugar market growth. The cultivation of sugarcane in Egypt is primarily concentrated around the sugar refineries located in Upper Egypt, which account for approximately 77 percent of the total cane area in the country. Middle Egypt contributes an additional 15 percent to the sugarcane area, followed by the Delta region with eight percent.

Policies aimed at encouraging farmers to cultivate sugarcane and sugar beet play a significant role in boosting domestic production and reducing dependence on imports. By incentivizing farmers through supportive policies, the government aims to enhance the local sugar industry's sustainability and self-sufficiency.

Egypt is one of the few countries in the world that produces both sugarcane and sugar beet. Driven primarily by population growth and demand from the processed food and beverage industries, domestic consumption appears to be rising and requires the country to import about 1.5 million metric tons of raw sugar to cover the deficit. Sugarcane is typically planted during both the spring and autumn seasons. The demand for sugarcane has been on the rise, leading to an increase in the Procurement Price for sugar beet. In 2022, the price stood at 700 EGP, which escalated to 1000 EGP in 2023 and further to 1200 EGP in 2024. This upward trend in prices can be attributed to the expanding confectionery food products sector, which demands higher sugar inputs.

For the marketing year 2025/26 (Oct–Sep), USDA forecasted production increasing to 3.18 million metric tons, consisting of about 2.47 million metric tons from sugar beets and 0.71 million metric tons from sugarcane. This growth is largely due to the high procurement prices for beets, which influenced farmers to switch crops from cane to beets. As a result, Egypt is expected to meet about 82.5 per cent of its consumption of domestically sourced sugar and only imports about 1.0 million metric tons of sugar for consumption (maintaining exports of 0.3 million metric tons) in controlled stock for the subsidised market or consumption.

Concurrently, the National Food Safety Authority is reevaluating sugar-labeling regulations, and there are public awareness campaigns related to obesity and diabetes. These actions are aligned with Egypt’s Vision 2030 and economic strategy and are part of a shift toward cultivating water-efficient sugar beets on reclaimed land with irrigation that assists in increasing self-sufficiency, reducing reliance on sugar imports, stabilizing domestic prices, and supporting agricultural reform.

This expansion demonstrates how the Egyptian government's intervention through higher procurement prices of sugar beets and increased cultivation on recently reclaimed land using water-efficient irrigation production practices has led to this outcome. Transitioning sugar production from cane to beet is also in conjunction with agricultural reform for food security purposes related to Egypt Vision 2030. This increase reflects decreasing dependence on imports and increasing self-sufficiency.

The policy framework has created an environment that promotes stable domestic sugar prices and supply supports rural incomes, and reduces reliance on sugar imports. By encouraging and financially supporting sugar production, controlling exports, and protecting farmers’ ability to successfully operate as sugar producers, the government is essentially influencing market behavior to some extent in the direction of supporting self-sufficient and resilient markets.

Egypt Sugar Market Growth Drivers:

• Favourable government policies supporting the sugar industry

The government of Egypt has implemented various forms of support to bolster the sugar industry. These include production incentives and price subsidies aimed at ensuring the availability and affordability of sugar for the population.

One significant initiative is the Egypt Future Developmental Project, launched in January 2022. This project focuses on producing strategic commodities, including sugar beets, in the New Delta extension of Dabaa in the northwest. A total area of 35,000 feddans (14,700 hectares) has been allocated for sugar beet cultivation under this project.

In April 2025, the Government of Egypt announced the extension of the export ban on all kinds of sugars for six months, which led to securing the domestic market’s requirements. These policy interventions serve various socioeconomic functions, including increasing farmer income, stabilizing the price for consumers, promoting self-sufficiency, and reducing vulnerability. The result is a virtuous cycle, farmers respond to incentives that guarantee a higher return, and currently, plans to expand the area under sugar beet will reduce imports, and help to achieve price stability domestically.  This driver is a model example of a policy influencing market behaviour where policy influences behavior via price signals, caps on supply, and risk protections, and realising both economic objectives and overall food security. 

Previously, the Ministry of Supply announced an increase in the procurement price of sugar beet. This forms part of the plan to create payment plans for farmers on the margins, enabling them to be paid more for their sugar beets and expand the areas under cultivation.  This action, together with the guarantees on procurement and bans/curbs on export, is signaling to each of the agrarian actors that beet cultivation is supported by the Government and thus sustainably profitable for the farmer, leading to a re-evaluation of crop choices and behavioural changes.

Each of these policy interventions provides a cost price floor for domestic prices for sugar, and supply of sugar, whilst providing for rural incomes and reducing reliance on imports.  The government, in establishing rules and parameters that influence behaviors for self-sufficiency and resilience, taking incentives, new regulations on exports, and sustaining farmer profitability, is directing the trend towards self-sufficiency and resilience.

Price subsidies are also provided, with refined sugar being offered to food subsidy beneficiaries at prices below the international market rates. For instance, one kilogram of sugar is provided at a subsidized price of 10 EGP ($0.30) per month. Additionally, families receive a monthly cash transfer of 200 EGP ($10.96), enabling them to afford sugar and other essential food items. Egyptian sugar production increased from 2760 thousand tons in 2022/23 to 2785 thousand tons in 2023/24.

This rise in demand is driven by factors such as population growth, which is estimated at 2.4 percent annually. With Egypt's population reaching approximately 106 million in 2022 and increasing by around 2 million people per year, the demand for sugar continues to escalate.  Moreover, the expanding confectionery food products sector is further fueling the demand for sugar, necessitating higher inputs.

To lighten the load of skyrocketing local sugar prices, the Egyptian Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade announced that Egypt will add sugar to ration cards, beginning in January 2024. The ration will help Egyptian citizens burdened by surging sugar prices that have increased more than 50% in just a few weeks. Under the new plans, ration card holders will receive an additional kilogram of sugar, permitted for up to three people. Furthermore, households with four or more people will receive an additional two kilograms of sugar on their ration cards. The announcement comes as the General Authority for Supply Commodities (GASC) has moved to secure the import of 50,000 tons of raw sugar to curb the shortfall. The GASC's import was scheduled to be delivered in February 2024, according to past media statements.

The Egyptian government has asserted that it is working to bolster domestic sugar production. Local production using sugarcane will begin in January; sugar beet production will begin in March. The aim is to reduce reliance on imports and ensure sugar supply security domestically. To that end, the Ministry of Supply and Internal Trade provided 245,000 tons of sugar to the markets to help address the issue. Minister Ali Al-Moselhi reported this recently on his Facebook page. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly directed periodic reports on sugar prices until the market is stable.

• Increasing population and urbanization are expected to propel the sugar market in Egypt.

The region's rising population is one of the major factors influencing the increase in sugar demand since, with the rapid rise in population, the demand for sugar-related products increases. As per the World Population Review, Egypt's population was 111 million in 2022, which rose to 114.5 million as of 2024 and is expected to progressively rise to 134.2 million by 2035, which will promote market growth. 

Moreover, the rise in urbanization in Egypt will also contribute to higher sugar content intake as there is a notable shift in their daily life dietary habits, and they will prefer more processed and on-the-go food items. The World Bank data of the urban population in the country was 46.8 million in 2021, which increased to 48.6 million in 2023.  This rising Egyptian population living in urban areas will directly contribute to a consistent increase in processed food and beverages, resulting in higher consumption of sugar in the coming years.

• The increasing requirement in the food industry is anticipated to boost the sugar market in Egypt.

Increasing numbers of consumers prefer more sugar-added food products with the influence of Western eating habits and busy lifestyles. This is predicted to contribute to the rise of sugar demand by the food industry, leading to the market's expansion in the country due to the large population consuming food and beverages containing added sugar. According to World Population Review data, in Egypt, the annual per capita consumption of sugars and sweeteners was 22.17 kg per capita in 2022, with the country's total consumption recorded at 2,460 thousand tons in 2022.

In addition, consumers these days prefer brown sugar to white sugar, which will increase the requirement for brown sugar and propel the market's expansion. Key companies are also increasing their investment in product innovation and new product launches, which will contribute to the market's expansion even further in the country.

Various soluble carbohydrates containing a sweet flavor are utilized in food and are referred to as sugar. Sugar has applications in both food and non-food industries. It has various crucial applications in the food sector, along with giving it a sweet taste. It acts as a preservative and prevents the growth of microbes like bacteria. In Egypt, sugar is typically produced through sugarcane or sugar beets, as these crops can be easily cultivated. Additionally, the expansion of the country’s food and beverage industry and the region's large population will positively influence the market growth.

Egypt Sugar Market Challenges:

The country depends largely on the import of sugar to fulfill domestic requirements, which could lead to Egypt's sugar market being at risk of global sugar cost fluctuation. This could potentially cause supply chain disruption and instability in the regional market. Moreover, the inflation and currency devaluation in the country could negatively influence consumers' buying power and the profitability of sugar manufacturers, which could affect the investment in the sugar market by companies.

Egypt Sugar Market Segment Analysis:

• The Egypt Sugar Market, by use, has been segmented into food and beverage, and pharmaceuticals

The growing demand for sugar in pharmaceuticals is attributed to its increased use in personal beauty care products. Sugar is recognized as a versatile ingredient that poses minimal risk of causing allergies, making it widely favored. Its incorporation into scrubs aids in moisturizing the skin, combating aging, and facilitating the removal of dead skin cells. These beneficial properties are anticipated to drive the demand for sugar within the country.

Responding to heightened demand, Egypt is actively boosting its sugar production. For instance, as reported by the USDA official data report, sugar production for the 2024/2025 marketing year is projected to be 2.7 million metric tons (MMT), up from 2.6 million metric tons (MMT) in 2023/24.

In the pharmaceutical sector, sucrose has been a longstanding choice for enhancing the palatability of oral medications and providing bulk to tablets. Powdered sugar serves to shield tablets from moisture and air while also improving the taste of bitter pills. Meanwhile, inverted syrups, liquid sugar, and glucose syrup are gaining popularity for their ability to increase viscosity in liquid medicines and serve as diluents, thereby contributing to bulk.

Additionally, Egyptian pharmaceutical products offer significant market potential, with a sizable domestic market of 109 million consumers and strategic positioning in the Suez Canal Economic Zone. Leveraging a range of free trade agreements, including AfCFTA, GATT, GATS, the EU-Egypt Free Trade Agreement, agreements with the EFTA States and Turkey, as well as regional agreements like the Greater Arab Free Trade Agreement and Mercosur, Egypt has access to approximately two billion consumers worldwide. Additionally, Egypt’s membership in BRICS, effective from January 2024, enhances the market prospects for its pharmaceutical products. This expanding pharmaceutical industry and increasing exports of pharmaceutical-based products will boost the country’s market for sugar in this industry during the projected period.

Egypt Sugar Market Key Developments:

The market leaders for the Egypt Sugar Market are Wilmar International Ltd, Daqahlia Sugar & Refining Company, Südzucker AG, Canal Sugar, Nile Sugar, and Al Khaleej Sugar. The key players in the market implement growth strategies such as product launches, mergers, acquisitions, etc., to gain a competitive advantage over their competitors. For Instance,

• In September 2024, BMA puts the world’s largest beet sugar factory on track. BMA would help Canal Sugar in Egypt reach its huge processing capacity for the beet sugar factory.
• Südzucker’s White Sugar and Extra White Sugar: The former is an all-purpose sugar with low ash and low colour. The latter dissolves in water without foaming. It is a sugar of the highest quality. 

Egypt Sugar Market Scope:

Egypt Sugar Market is analyzed into the following segments:

• By Form
  • Sugar Cubes
  • Granulated Sugar
  • Powdered Sugar
  • Sugar Syrup
• By Mode Of Source
  • Cane Sugar
  • Beet Sugar
• By Use
  • Food and Beverages
  • Pharmaceuticals
• By Distribution Channel
  • Online
  • Offline

1. Introduction

1.1. Market Overview

1.2. Market Definition

1.3. Scope of the Study

1.4. Market Segmentation

1.5. Currency

1.6. Assumptions

1.7. Base and Forecast Years Timeline

1.8. Key Benefits for the Stakeholders

2. Research Methodology  

2.1. Research Design

2.2. Research Process

2.3. Data Validation

3. Executive Summary

4. Market Dynamics

4.1. Market Drivers

4.2. Market Restraints

4.3. Porter’s Five Forces Analysis

4.3.1. Bargaining Power of Suppliers

4.3.2. Bargaining Power of Buyers

4.3.3. Threat of New Entrants

4.3.4. Threat of Substitutes

4.3.5. Competitive Rivalry in the Industry

4.4. Industry Value Chain Analysis

5. Egypt Sugar Market By Form

5.1. Introduction 

5.2. Sugar Cubes

5.3. Granulated Sugar

5.4. Powdered Sugar

5.5. Sugar Syrup

6. Egypt Sugar Market By Mode Of Source

6.1. Introduction 

6.2. Cane Sugar

6.3. Beet Sugar

7. Egypt Sugar Market By Use

7.1. Introduction 

7.2. Food and Beverages

7.3. Pharmaceuticals

8. Egypt Sugar Market By Distribution Channel

8.1. Introduction 

8.2. Online

8.3. Offline

9. Competitive Environment and Analysis

9.1. Major Players and Strategy Analysis

9.2. Market Share Analysis

9.3. Mergers, Acquisitions, Agreements, and Collaborations

9.4. Competitive Dashboard

10. Company Profiles

10.1. Dakahlia Sugar & Refining Company 

10.2. Südzucker AG

10.3. Canal Sugar

10.4. Nile Sugar Company

10.5. Al Khaleej Sugar

10.6. Egyptian Sugar and Integrated Industries Company (ESIIC)

10.7. Delta Sugar Company (DSC)

Dakahlia Sugar & Refining Company

Südzucker AG

Canal Sugar

Nile Sugar Company

Al Khaleej Sugar

Egyptian Sugar and Integrated Industries Company (ESIIC)

Delta Sugar Company (DSC)

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