The Government of Mexico seeks to protect national sugar production through an increase in the import tariff, within the framework of the National Development Plan 2025-2030.
Mexico City, November 10 (However).- The Government of Mexico updated the import tariff of the sugar at 156 and 210.44 percent ad valorem (depending on value), depending on the type of product, in order to protect the national agroindustry in the face of the risks implied by the fall in international prices and the oversupply in the domestic market.
According to the decree published in the Official Gazette of the Federation (DOF), the Administration of the President Claudia Sheinbaum modified the corresponding tariff fractions in the Law of General Import and Export Taxesso the current quotas per kilogram were replaced.
“The current import tariff for sugar, under most favored nation treatment, currently does not offer sufficient protection to the national agroindustry given the drop in international prices for this product, so it is considered necessary to modify the applicable specific tariffs from 0.36, 0.338 and 0.39586 dollars per kilogram to 156 and 210.44 percent ad-valorem, as appropriate to the fractions tariffs,” says what was published in the DOF.
The decree is part of the federal government’s strategies to “eliminate global market distortions” and safeguard the viability of national sugar production. In this sense, its entry into force starting tomorrow argues that the fall in international sugar prices has reduced the competitiveness of the national product, thus affecting the profitability of sugar mills and sugarcane producers.
Within the framework of National Development Plan 2025-2030the Government of Claudia Sheinbaum considered this measure a priority to “strengthen productive sovereignty” and guarantee the stability of the industry, so the tariff adjustment occurs in accordance with articles 25 and 131 of the Political Constitution of the United Mexican States.
The new measure follows from what is established by the World Trade Organization (WTO), with which the specific tariff of 360 dollars per ton will be replaced, and the national price of domestic raw sugar will rise to around 1,050 dollars, while with the previous tariff the import cost was 770 dollars, compared to 901 dollars for the national price.
Regarding the case of refined sugar, the price of imports was 872 dollars, against 1,252 dollars for the national price, but with the update it will be 1,310 dollars, while for refined liquid sugar and invert sugar products the import tariff will be 210.44 percent per kilogram.
According to official data, the sugar cane production chain indirectly generates more than 2.2 million jobs and contributes to regional development. In the 2024-2025 sugar cycle alone (October-September), Mexico’s consumption was estimated at 3.9 million tons, while production reached 4.7 million tons.
What is published in the DOF conforms to the tariff criteria of the General Import and Export Tax Law, which states that it is necessary to “modify the applicable specific tariffs from 0.36, 0.338 and 0.39586 dollars per kilogram (US dollars per kilogram) to 156 percent and 210.44 percent ad-valorem (declared value of the good in customs that includes cost, insurance and freight), as appropriate to the tariff fractions of the tariff of the aforementioned Law, in accordance with the rights and obligations of Mexico before the World Trade Organization (WTO)”.