WASHINGTON — The U.S. Department of Agriculture in its April 10 World Agricultural Supply and Demand Estimates report forecast U.S. sugar carryover on Oct. 1, 2018, at 1,859,000 short tons, raw value, down 94,000 tons, or 4.8%, from March and down 17,000 tons, or 0.9%, from 1,876,000 tons in 2017.
The 2017-18 ending stocks-to-use ratio was forecast at 14.7%, down from 15.5% as the March forecast and down from 15.1% estimated in 2016-17.
The U.S.D.A. forecast U.S. 2017-18 sugar production at 9,140,000 tons, down 100,000 tons from March but up 171,000 tons from 2016-17 and still record high. Beet sugar production was forecast at 5,139,000 tons, down 80,000 tons from March but up 36,000 tons from 2016-17 and also still record high. Cane sugar production was forecast at 4,001,000 tons, down 20,000 tons from March based on a like decrease for Florida but up 135,000 tons from last year and the third highest on record if realized.
Total U.S. sugar imports in 2017-18 were forecast at 3,472,000 tons, up 5,000 tons from March based on a like increase in high-tier imports at 1,284,000 tons and up 228,000 tons, or 7%, from 3,244,000 tons in the prior year. Forecast imports from Mexico were unchanged from March at 1,269,000 tons, up 68,000 tons, or 6%, from 2016-17.
Total U.S. sugar supply in 2017-18 was forecast at 14,489,000 tons, down 94,000 tons from March but up 222,000 tons, or 1.6%, from 2016-17.
All 2017-18 sugar use forecasts were unchanged from March, as were all 2016-17 estimates. Domestic deliveries of sugar for food use were forecast at 12,325,000 tons in 2017-18, exports at 150,000 tons, “other” at 155,000 tons and total deliveries at 12,630,000 tons, up 239,000 tons, or 1.9%, from 12,391,000 tons in 2016-17.
The U.S.D.A. also left unchanged from March all supply and use numbers for Mexico for both 2016-17 and 2017-18.