This archive report was first published on 10 July 2020.
On July 10, 2020, the Sugar Directorate released data indicating that West Kenya Sugar Company, makers of the Kabras brand, sold 71,176 tonnes of sugar in the review period, out of a total 243,083 tonnes.
This marked the second consecutive year that West Kenya maintained its lead in the sugar market, attributing its success to timely payments to farmers and the installation of new machines.
According to the Sugar Directorate, the production in West Kenya and Sukari Industries was boosted by the inclusion of processed bulk sugar imports.
Government-owned mills, with the exception of Chemelil, reported decreased sugar production due to limited cane supply and inefficiencies at the factories.
West Kenya's sugar sales in the review period were 20,000 tonnes more than in the corresponding time last year, widening the gap from Butali Sugar, which sold 38,834 tonnes.
The sugar sector in the country has been hit by a shortage of cane for milling, leading to enhanced imports to cover the deficit.
Imports of table sugar to Kenya in the review period grew by 56 percent compared with the corresponding period last year, following the scarcity of the commodity in the country.
However, the government has since banned the importation of both sugar and sugarcane to curb an influx of cheap sugar in the market.
