SUGAR INDUSTRY: DOLLAR-BASED REFERENCE PRICE INVESTIGATION UNDER WAY

SUGAR INDUSTRY: DOLLAR-BASED REFERENCE PRICE INVESTIGATION UNDER WAY

• 22 January 2026
• Trade, Industry & Competition
• SA Legal Academy

The International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC) has begun a self-initiated investigation into the dollar-based reference price (DBRP) for sugar – calling for stakeholder submissions by 5 March 2026.

The move follows divergent applications from the South African Sugar Association and the Beverage Association of South Africa respectively applying for an increase and decrease in the DBRP. The South African Sugar Association’s application seeks to ‘protect the local sugar industry and ensure its sustainability’, while the Beverage Association of South Africa’s application seeks to counter ‘the adverse impact of current duties on beverage producers, bottlers, consumers’ and other downstream sugar industry stakeholders.

The purpose of ITAC’s investigation is to determine the ‘most appropriate course of action’ in the context of the Sugar Industry Value Chain Masterplan 2030 – to which both applicants are apparently signatory. This is noting that, according to the Government Gazette notice announcing the investigation’s commencement, their applications ‘will not be considered as standalone processes, and the information contained therein will be assessed solely within the framework of the self-initiated review’.

• Government Gazette notice
• Masterplan 2030

Published by SA Legal Academy Policy Watch

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