SUGAR: U.S. cane sugar production is increased 10,000 short tons, raw value (STRV) to 4.021 million based on a processor report from Texas. Re-export imports for 2017/18 are increased by 150,000 STRV to 400,000 based on pace to date. Exports for 2017/18 are increased by 50,000 STRV to 150,000. Ending stocks for 2017/18 are residually projected at 1.953 million STRV, implying a stocks-to-use ratio of 15.5 percent, up from last month’s 14.6 percent.
Mexico sugar production for 2017/18 is decreased by 50,000 metric tons (MT) to 6.050 million due to lower sugarcane area. Imports are increased 35,000 MT to 170,000 based on increased pace to date reported by the Comité Nacional Para El Desarrollo Sustentable de la Caña de Azúcar (CONADESUCA) through the end of January 2018. According to CONADESUCA, the increase reflects imports for consumption of sugar sourced from the United States. The projection of Mexico sugar exports to the United States is raised by 984 MT, reflecting sugar that was exported under a 2016/17 export license but recorded by the U.S. Census Bureau as imported in 2017/18. The 2017/18 Export Limit previously established by the U.S. Department of Commerce exceeds the projected Target Quantity of U.S. Sugar Needs calculated from the March 2018 WASDE. Unchanged ending stocks are projected at 22.0 percent of consumption to meet needs before the start of production in 2018/19. Exports to non-U.S. destinations are residually projected at 260,997 MT, a decrease of 15,984 from last month.