What assessment he has made of the arrangements that will apply from January 2026 for the import of raw cane sugar; and what steps he is taking to provide continuity and certainty for consumers and businesses.
The Government has decided to increase the raw cane sugar Autonomous Tariff Quota (ATQ) to 325,000 tonnes from 1 January 2026. This will allow imports of up to 325,000 tonnes to enter the UK annually at a 0% tariff. It is intended to be in place until 31 December 2033 and will be subject to review ahead of this date. This is the first increase in the quota volume since its establishment in 2021 and will expand the UK’s access to a greater volume of more competitively priced raw cane sugar, providing further relief in import costs for traders, and longer term certainty in the domestic market. The Government does not expect this increase in the ATQ volume to have a material impact on the domestic sugar beet industry.