Sugar, read by specification

Sugar is traded by grade, and the grade is not a marketing label: it is a set of measurable parameters. Buyers who understand them negotiate better; buyers who do not pay for reassurance they may not need.

The number is a colour

The ICUMSA figure expresses colour, measured in ICUMSA units. A lower number means a whiter, more refined sugar; a higher number means a darker product with more residual molasses. This is why ICUMSA 45 — the refined white grade used in beverages, bakery and confectionery — sits at the top of the price scale, while ICUMSA 150 is a less refined white sugar used where colour is not critical.

VHP stands for very high polarization: a raw sugar, typically above 99% polarization, sold to refineries rather than to consumers. A VHP specification quoted with an ICUMSA range of 600 to 1200 is normal — raw sugar is expected to carry colour; the refinery removes it.

What belongs in an enquiry

• Grade and ICUMSA value, with the tolerance you will accept.
• Polarisation, moisture, ash and SO₂ limits for the application.
• Packaging: 50 kg bags, big bags, or bulk in containers.
• Quantity per shipment and per month, with the delivery window.
• Destination port and the Incoterm you intend to contract on.
• Payment instrument and the documents your bank will require.

The documentation is the product

For food-grade sugar, a certificate of analysis is not optional: it is the evidence behind the grade. It travels with the certificate of origin, the packing list, the health or phytosanitary certificate where required, and the bill of lading. A cargo that arrives without them is a cargo that waits — and storage, demurrage and interest are paid by someone.

A practical rule: agree the specification in writing before agreeing the price. Every grade can be met, and every grade can be missed, but only the written version is enforceable.