Kenya: The domestic sugar processors have demanded the government to cut on cheap import as the price of the commodity has fallen by 20 per cent.
Jayanti Patel, chairman of the Sugarcane Millers Association (Kesma) said, “The price has dropped from Sh5,000 in December to Sh4,000 for a 50-kg bag ex-factory. This is due to the increase in the import of sugar.
However, the claim of millers about the decline in the ex-factory price has not reflected in shelves.
According to the reports, the sugar import has risen by 61 per cent in 2019 as compared with the earlier year to meet the demand-supply gap.
“The hike in import has depressed the prices of the commodity. The millers might be compelled to sell the sugar at a lower price and won’t be able to pay farmers their dues. The local stocks were not moving as they cannot compete with cheap imports,” said Patel.
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