Mexico's Sugar Exports to US Projected to Soar 512% Under New Deal
Mexico is set to significantly increase its sugar exports to the United States, with a projected 512% rise anticipated for the 2026-2027 cycle. The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) reported on Friday that the U.S. will import up to 1.152 million tonnes of Mexican sugar. This change in the import quota is the result of bilateral negotiations between the USDA, Mexico’s Agriculture Ministry, and producers, which began in late 2025.
Mexico is slated to substantially increase its sugar exports to the United States following a period of decline and producer dissatisfaction. According to the World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report, published by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) on Friday, the U.S. will import up to 1.152 million tonnes of Mexican sugar during the 2026-2027 cycle. This marks a significant increase of 512% compared to the 2025-2026 cycle.
The revised import quota is a direct outcome of bilateral negotiations that commenced in late 2025. These discussions involved the USDA, Mexico’s Agriculture Ministry, and various producers.
The trade relationship for sugar between the U.S. and Mexico became strained in 2014, when U.S. sugar unions accused Mexico of selling sugar below market value. This situation led to the implementation of increasingly strict quotas on Mexican sugar imports into the U.S., which reduced annual exports from approximately one million tonnes to a cap of 200,000 tonnes in 2025.
In 2025, Mexican exports of raw cane and beet sugar to the U.S. reached US $386.3 million. This represented a slight improvement over the $258.8 million recorded in 2024, though it remained considerably lower than the more than $700 million revenue generated during peak export years.
Mexican producers received a boost in November 2025 from Sader (Secretariat of Agriculture and Rural Development) with the announcement of new tariffs on sugar imports, ranging from 156% to 210.44%. The projected quintuplication of producers’ exports is expected to further increase revenue by up to 4.76 billion pesos ($272 million), which the Mexican government intends to distribute among 170,000 sugarcane producers.
A statement from Sheinbaum’s office affirmed that “This outcome confirms that through dialogue it is possible to build important agreements that benefit agricultural producers and food consumers in both Mexico and the United States.” While sugar cane and its derivatives constitute a small portion of Mexico's foreign trade, accounting for approximately 3% of total annual export revenue, Mexico also serves as the top buyer of U.S. sugar exports, primarily for corn-based sweeteners used in food and drink manufacturing.
According to Mexico News Daily, this information was also reported by El Financiero, La Jornada, Quadratín México, and Expansión.
