In his State of the Nation Address on Thursday, November 21, 2024, President William Ruto announced a breakthrough for Kenya’s sugar industry. All 17 sugar factories across the country are now operational, and four new factories are under construction, reported People Daily.
“In the sugar sector, we have achieved a historic milestone. All 17 sugar factories across the country are now operational, producing at impressive levels, while four new sugar factories are under construction,” President Ruto said.
The President stated that domestic sugar production in July 2024 reached 84,000 metric tonnes, exceeding the country’s monthly consumption average of 40,000 metric tonnes. This marks the first time Kenya has produced enough sugar to meet its local demand.
President Ruto credited the achievement to several initiatives, including subsidised fertiliser provided to sugarcane farmers to boost crop yields. An additional 500,000 acres of land were brought under sugarcane cultivation. Efforts to streamline the sugar sector have significantly improved production.
Ruto also signed a new sugar law to provide further policy guidance as the country aims to become a sugar-exporting nation.
“This success is attributed to subsidised fertiliser, additional land under production, and improved sector management. I just signed the new sugar law to offer policy direction as we seek to be a sugar-exporting country,” he stated.
With this progress, President Ruto expressed confidence in the sector’s future, emphasizing that Kenya is now on track to achieve sugar self-sufficiency and explore opportunities in the export market.
