The U.S. Department of Commerce and the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) have both determined that if the suspension agreements for sugar imports from Mexico are terminated, there would likely be:
- Resumption or continuation of unfair trade practices (dumping or countervailable subsidies)
- Material injury to US sugar producers
Because of those findings, the Agreements Suspending the Antidumping Duty Investigation (AD Agreement) and the Countervailing Duty Investigation (CVD Agreement) will both continue in effect as of September 9th, 2025.
These agreements cover raw and refined sugar (from sugar cane or sugar beets) and several sugar product forms (standard, high polarity, special white, organic varieties, molasses, etc.).
Some products are excluded, such as:
- Sugar under USDA re-export programs
- Products with ≥ 95% sugar by dry weight that originate outside Mexico
- Beverages, candy, specialty sugars, and certain processed foods
What this means for product importers:
- No change for now: The suspension agreements stay in place, so antidumping (AD) and countervailing (CVD) duties are not currently being imposed on covered sugar imports from Mexico
- Potential duty risk remains: If the agreements were ever terminated in the future, importers would face AD and/or CVD duties. That risk has been re-affirmed
- Monitoring recommended: These determinations are part of the periodic “sunset review” process (every five years). It’s possible that future reviews could lead to changes depending on market conditions, responses by Mexican exporters, or changes in the U.S. sugar industry
