South Africa has raised the reference price for imported sugar to $785 per metric ton, up from $680, in a move designed to strengthen tariff protection for domestic producers facing a wave of cheaper imports. The country’s trade regulator said the increase would help local producers offset rising costs and stabilize an industry hit by falling global sugar prices and shrinking profitability. The South African Sugar Association, which had pushed for a price closer to $905 per ton, welcomed the move but said it wouldn’t fully offset losses—the industry lost roughly $100 million during the 2025/26 season due to import pressures. The regulator rejected both the sugar association’s higher request and a competing call from beverage manufacturers for a lower price, settling on what it described as a balanced compromise to protect jobs while limiting costs for downstream industries.