BSI Releases Third Cane Price Estimate for 2025 Crop

Belize Sugar Industries Limited (BSI) has announced its third estimated average cane price for the 2025 crop, setting it at $54.31 per ton, an increase from the previous estimate of $53.75 per ton. According to BSI , this improvement is attributed to marginal gains in the estimated prices for USA raw sugar and export Direct Consumption (DC) sugar. It added that the increase was partially offset by adjustments in the estimated Tons Cane per Tons Sugar (TC/TS) ratio due to year-to-date results reflecting variations in cane quality.

A significant challenge facing the industry this year is Fusarium, a newly emerging disease affecting sugarcane. Given the uncertainty surrounding its impact on cane supply and quality, BSI’s current projections assume 950,000 tons of cane will be available for milling, with a TC/TS ratio of 11.00. The company said that these estimates reflect the expected deliveries from farmers rather than the mill’s guaranteed capacity.

BSI’s cane price estimate assumes that the 950,000 tons of cane will yield approximately 86,363 tons of sugar and 32,725 tons of molasses, with 15,747 tons of sugar and 9,842 tons of molasses designated for local consumption. Around 30,973 tons of raw sugar is expected to be sold to the EU market at an estimated CIF price of $433.85 per metric ton (MT), while 11,102 tons of sugar will be exported to the U.S. market at an estimated FOB price of $600.00 per MT. Additionally, 9,842 tons of bagged DC sugar will be sold to T&L Sugars Limited (TLS) at an estimated FOB price of $530.00 per MT, with another 10,039 tons going to the EU market under a combination of CIF and FOB shipping terms.

The local market is expected to receive 15,747 tons of sugar, including 11,810 tons as Plantation White Sugar (PWS) and 3,937 tons as brown sugar, while 9,842 tons of molasses will also be allocated for local consumption. Meanwhile, 8,661 tons of bagged brown sugar will be exported primarily to Caribbean markets, generating an estimated net revenue of BZ$7.7 million.

BSI also noted that freight rates for export shipments remain uncertain, as actual costs will only be known at the time of vessel chartering for the 2025 crop.