On 22 January 2026, the International Trade Administration Commission of South Africa (ITAC) advised, through a Government Gazette notice, that it had self-initiated a tariff investigation into the appropriate level of the Dollar-Based Reference Price (DBRP) for sugar classifiable under tariff heading 17.01, on which comment is due by 05 March 2026.
ITAC received two applications from industry value chain stakeholders regarding the current level of the DBRP for sugar.
The South African Sugar Association (SASA) applied for an increase in the current DBRP from US$680/ton to US$905/ton, citing, amongst other reasons, the need to protect the local sugar industry and ensure its sustainability. This application was made known to industry stakeholders, who were provided the opportunity to submit preliminary comments.
Subsequently, the Beverage Association of South Africa (BEVSA) applied for a reduction in the current DBRP from US$680/ton to between US$552/ton and US$650/ton, citing, amongst other reasons, the adverse impact of current duties on beverage producers, bottlers, consumers, etc.
The divergent applications submitted by industry stakeholders prompted the need to determine the most appropriate course of action, aligned with ITAC’s legislative and policy framework, including the strategic objectives outlined in the Sugar Industry Value Chain Masterplan.
After extensive engagement between the government and industry stakeholders, it was agreed that a combined evaluation of both applications represents the most efficient and equitable approach to address divergent requests regarding the appropriate level of the DBRP.
This combined evaluation will be undertaken through a self-initiated review, in accordance with section 16(1)(d)(ii) of the International Trade Administration Act, 2002. This review subsumes and replaces the individual applications submitted by SASA and BEVSA regarding the appropriate level of the DBRP for sugar. With effect from the initiation of this review, those 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. The South African Revenue Service (SARS) will also solicit comments and gather additional data from all interested parties within the Sugar Industry Value Chain as part of the review.
Given the facts of this matter, ITAC believes that this approach will be the most efficient and effective manner to conduct an investigation into the appropriate level of the DBRP for sugar.
Action if you are an interested party:
- To request a non-confidential application from ITAC.
- To request access to ITAC’s application public file.