Sugar Prices Stable Despite Production Challenges, Says Kenya Sugar Board
By Shadrack Mutai
Kenyans are being assured that sugar supply remains stable despite recent production challenges and concerns over potential price hikes.
According to a statement from Kenya Sugar Board CEO, Jude Chesire, national sugar production fell in 2025, sparking fears of shortages in supermarkets and retail shops. He emphasized that there is no cause for panic, and consumers can continue buying sugar with confidence.
The decline in production was due to a combination of structural reforms, weather conditions, and deliberate measures to secure the industry’s long-term future. Much of the mature cane was harvested in 2024, leaving a significant portion of 2025 cane still developing. Temporary factory closures were necessary to allow the cane to mature fully, ensuring higher sugar content and protecting farmers’ future earnings.
Several state-owned factories were leased to private investors and underwent extensive renovations, temporarily reducing milling capacity. Other mills, including Kwale Sugar, remained non-operational. Chesire highlighted that these measures are essential to modernize the industry and secure reliable production for the future.
Dry conditions in late 2025 and early 2026 also slowed cane development, reduced yields per hectare, and affected factory throughput. Recovery programs are being implemented to mitigate such impacts in future seasons and stabilize production.
Despite these challenges, sugar demand continues to grow due to population expansion, rising urban consumption, and increased industrial use. Measures have been put in place to ensure sugar remains available, prices stay predictable, and consumers are protected from artificial shortages or speculation.
Farmers remain central to the recovery strategy. Programs funded by the Sugar Development Levy are supporting accelerated cane development, expansion of cultivation areas, and the introduction of early-maturing cane varieties. Combined with mill rehabilitation, these efforts are expected to improve yields, strengthen payment reliability, and set the stage for higher production later in 2026.
Millions of tonnes of cane are already planted, with harvesting and milling projected to resume strongly from October–November 2026, marking the beginning of a sustained rebound in domestic production.
Chesire concluded that Kenya’s sugar sector is being rebuilt to meet the growing population and rising demand. While the challenges of late 2025 and early 2026 were real, he assured Kenyans that the reforms are permanent and sugar prices will remain stable.
