Sugar outlook for a 'Hard Brexit'

The net importer of sugar, United Kingdom needs to buy around 50% of its national consumption at international markets, accounting for an average of 1MMT of sugar per year. Half of that volume is supplied by EU and the other half comes from emerging economies.

EU is basically responsible to provide white sugar (90% of the export share), where mostly shipments are coming from France, while emerging markets supply raw. The question that lays-out for a Hard Brexit is could least developed countries and America supplies of raw sugar supplement the british famine for a sweeter taste? That could potentially boost UK's refining industry, although the country must underline what is the actual processing capacity and balances with the current and future subsidies it gives to sugarbeet farmers (3,000 growers produce homegrown sugar). From a few years back (2013) UK was importing 700,000 mt of raw sugar to process.

All the speculations are yet to be unfolded for UK if it would potentially keep its trade agreement with emerging markets or engages Europe's bloc.
For the other hand EU is discussing a deal with Mercosur for an additional 180 thousand tonnes of raw sugar imports.

The deadline for the transition period is by Dec.2020, and an extension request on that shall be given until July this year.