At a time of rising global agricultural prices, what are the opportunities in sugar commodity trading for the trader or investor looking for exposure to commodities as an asset class? In 1974 this soft commodity witnessed a price spike of over 60 cents a pound and another over of 40 cents a pound in 1981, at the end of the 1970′s commodity bull market. It seems the sugar market and commodities in general are no different in 2009. Following the serious global economic slowdown in 2008, markets are recovering and sugar commodity prices are at their highest for 28 years.
Across Asia consumers are having serious difficulty finding sugar because of the severe shortages. Consider that in 2007 India was a five million tons net exporter of sugar yet two years later it has become a net importer by a similar amount. Global sugar demand is outstripping supply, caused by a series of factors. A collapse in the US dollar against other major currencies and hopes of a global recovery are driving real asset prices higher. Add to that very bad weather in Brazil and a weak monsoon in India has affected yields which results in raw sugar prices moving towards an historic high of 25 cents a pound.
As part of our sugar commodity trading analysis, let’s see where sugar comes from, in what forms and at the new dynamic that promises to make a profound change to future world sugar commodity markets. Sugar is produced in over 100 countries worldwide, with between 75-80% made from sugarcane, mainly in tropical and sub-tropical areas in the southern hemisphere. A key factor in successful crop yields is rainfall, with an annual minimum of around 600 mm. Apart from adverse weather conditions, another factor that can cause sugar prices on world commodity exchanges to rise is crop infestation by pests.
Key producing nations are led by Brazil, also the largest global exporter, then India, China, the EU, USA and Australia. Subsidy regimes in Europe and the US are a major distorting factor in world sugar markets, as they artificially support producers giving them prices higher than the world sugar price. As well as established uses in fruit and vegetable products and in bread fermentation, sugar is now increasingly used as a source of ethanol fuel.
Moving on from 2007 when there was already very little room between supply and demand, the situation will almost certainly deteriorate with an expected demand surge in emerging BRIC nations particularly China and India. In fact India as the largest consumer in the world is now using significantly more sugar for ethanol as an alternative fuel. Meanwhile, starting from a very low base of 7kg annual per capita consumption is China, and as the world’s third largest consumer and producer, is still some way behind the annual USA per capita demand of 45kg.
Brazil is the largest world producer and understanding this market will help your sugar commodity trading strategy. Brazil aims to avoid a sugar glut by using the potential excess sugarcane crop to produce ethanol for biodiesel, an alternative to petroleum-derived gasoline. Growing use of sugar to produce ethanol has arisen alongside increases in crude oil prices and a surge in demand for sugar in China. With high crude oil prices likely in the future coupled with growing demand, producers face huge challenges to avoid higher sugar prices.
Confident in the tips from your professional financial adviser and your chosen commodity trading system, with good internet access you can trade from almost anywhere in the world. The most heavily traded sugar futures contract globally is #11 Raw sugar futures, available on the ICE US Futures platform as is the #16 Sugar futures contract. You could also try LIFFE CONNECT, the trading platform of LIFFE, part of the NYSE Euronext Group, to trade raw sugar futures. If taking a leveraged position concerns you, why not look at a soft commodity index using an ETF. Growing sugar consumption in the BRIC economies along with rising demand for bio ethanol suggests prospects for sugar prices and sugar commodity trading look very exciting going forward.
Researching soft commodities, the author, Marianna Gomes, writes articles for the Commodity Trading Today website, a practical online resource. Find out more about how you could profit from sugar commodity trading tips here. Grab a totally unique version of this article from the Uber Article Directory
