A London-based tech firm says it has cracked one of the most volatile corners of global commodities: sugar.
HSAT, a company specialising in agricultural intelligence, has unveiled a forecasting platform that claims up to 98% accuracy in predicting sugar yields. Using artificial intelligence and satellite data, its CropGPT system delivers real-time insights on sugarcane and sugar beet crops across more than 90% of global sugar production.
In a world where food prices can swing wildly on the back of droughts, disease, or sudden government policy changes, accurate forecasting is increasingly seen as a competitive edge for traders, procurement teams, and policymakers alike.
From Space to Field in Seconds
Unlike traditional methods that rely heavily on national averages and delayed harvest data, HSAT’s approach is rooted in precision. Its platform uses satellite imagery, field surveys, weather data, and market signals to provide up-to-date forecasts for major sugar-producing countries, including Brazil, India, Thailand, Pakistan, and the US.
The company also claims it goes further than most—tracking crop-specific issues down to individual fields, not just regions. That granularity, it argues, allows for early detection of threats like drought stress, disease outbreaks, or infrastructure bottlenecks long before they impact supply chains.
“Clients don’t just get a forecast—they get a decade of back-testing to prove accuracy,” said Paul Brabant, HSAT’s CEO. “We show how rainfall in Maharashtra, plant disease in São Paulo, or a policy shift in Thailand will impact yields weeks ahead of competitors.”
Data Meets the Markets
HSAT’s CropGPT platform is refreshed weekly and backed by a network of over 2,000 field contributors. The company also draws on more than 40 years of historical data to validate its predictions.
In addition to raw yield data, the system integrates macroeconomic and political information. Its “Market Forces” module connects pricing, currency fluctuations, weather anomalies, and political developments into a single dashboard—aimed squarely at commodity traders and risk analysts.
Weekly reports allow users to monitor everything from port delays in Brazil to sugar subsidy reforms in India, alongside satellite readings of field health.
The Broader Context
Sugar is one of the most geopolitically sensitive commodities, with subsidies, tariffs, and climate risks playing significant roles in production and pricing. In recent years, the market has been rocked by everything from India’s export bans to extreme drought in Thailand. For food manufacturers and governments alike, the ability to anticipate production swings can mean millions saved—or lost.
HSAT’s latest offering appears to be part of a broader trend of AI and satellite tech transforming agriculture. With climate change intensifying weather unpredictability, many in the commodities sector are looking to data-driven tools to reduce uncertainty.
About HSAT
Founded in London, HSAT focuses on agricultural forecasting for soft commodities. Its flagship platforms—CropGPT and CropManager—are used to monitor yield performance, climate risks, and supply chain disruptions in real time.
For now, the company is betting that sharper insights into the sugar market will help clients stay one step ahead. Whether the market agrees may depend on the next storm, subsidy—or software update.