Sugar Prices Surge at Q2 Opening – Futures Jump Over 2% Across the Board

Spread the news!

📈 Sugar Prices Surge at Q2 Opening – Futures Jump Over 2% Across the Board

ICE Sugar No. 5 futures kicked off Q2 2025 with a strong rally. The May 2025 contract climbed by 2.02% to USD 545.90/t (EUR 507.69/t), with gains of over 2% in nearly all active agreements. While the movement reflects speculative optimism, physical demand in the EU remains muted, and spot prices have not followed.


📊 ICE Sugar No. 5 – Price Overview (01.04.2025)

Contract Close (USD/t) Change (%) Close (EUR/t)
May 25 545.90 +2.02% 507.69
Aug 25 536.50 +2.26% 499.95
Oct 25 531.70 +2.20% 494.48
Dec 25 528.80 +2.21% 491.78
Mar 26 527.40 +2.22% 490.48
May 26 522.00 +2.09% 485.46

(Exchange rate: 1 USD = 0.93 EUR)


🌍 Market Commentary & Drivers

📈 Strong Speculative Start into Q2
– Trading volumes were very high, especially in May and August contracts.
– The rally appears driven by technical momentum and fund positioning, not fundamentals.

🇪🇺 EU Market Reaction Absent
– Spot prices remain unchanged at EUR 0.50–0.53/kg FCA.
– Forward offers above EUR 0.60/kg continue, but buyers remain defensive.
– The retail discount pricing environment (e.g., EUR 0.37/kg in Poland) continues to dominate sentiment.

Mintec Global

🌎 Global Market View
– No fresh news from producing regions.
– Brazil’s harvest conditions remain favourable.
– India and Thailand report no disruptions.


🔮 3-Day Forecast (02–04 April 2025)

Date USD/t Range EUR/t Range
02 Apr 540 – 550 502 – 511
03 Apr 538 – 548 500 – 509
04 Apr 535 – 545 498 – 507

📌 Outlook:
Expect continued volatility. Without fundamental support, the upside may be limited and prone to correction.


📉 Global Sugar Balance Sheet

Year Production Consumption Ending Stocks
2021/22 17.0 Mt 18.0 Mt 4.0 Mt
2022/23 16.5 Mt 17.8 Mt 3.8 Mt
2023/24 15.9 Mt 17.5 Mt 3.5 Mt
2024/25* 16.2 Mt 17.3 Mt 3.3 Mt

🧭 Conclusion & Strategy

✅ Strong technical breakout to start the new quarter.
❌ EU market remains unresponsive – the disconnect between paper and physical pricing widens.
📉 Retail pressure continues to weigh on confidence.

📌 Recommendations:

  • 🛒 Buyers: No reason to follow futures higher – stay cautious and selective.
  • 🏭 Sellers: Use this speculative rally to secure volume-linked contracts.
  • 📊 Traders: Watch for profit-taking above 548 USD/t (510 EUR/t).

📍 Sugar is rising on charts – but not in warehouses.