The production of sugar by local millers in Kenya has experienced a drop of nearly a third over seven months, primarily due to a shortage of sugarcane, reported Business Daily Africa.
This scarcity has led to a substantial surge in sugar prices, reaching record highs.
An analysis of the most recent data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) reveals that domestic sugar production plummeted to 332,034 tonnes during the seven months leading up to July. This represents a substantial 31.2 percent decline compared to the 482,871 tonnes produced in the same period the previous year.
This decline in sugar production has posed a challenge for consumers, as sugar prices have escalated at a rate unmatched by any other food commodity over the past year. According to KNBS data, the cost of sugar has surged by 61.4 percent over the past year. In comparison, the prices of beans, maize flour, and cooking oil have risen by 27.9 percent, 9.6 percent, and 18.5 percent, respectively.
A recent check at Naivas Supermarket indicated that a kilogram of sugar was retailing between Sh213 and Sh225. Meanwhile, at Carrefour, the prices for sugar start at Sh210 per kilogram.
During the seven months, the highest sugar production was recorded in January when output peaked at 81,648 tonnes, but this swiftly dropped to 31,495 tonnes by May.
Kenya is home to 16 sugar factories, with five of them—Miwani, Chemelil, Muhoroni, Nzoia, and South Nyanza—owned by the government, which also holds a stake in Mumias Sugar, currently under receivership.
The millers have grappled with a severe shortage of sugarcane this year, having largely depleted their stocks of mature cane. This shortage has even compelled some millers to process immature cane. To address the situation, certain millers have reduced their crushing schedules to just a few days a week to ensure an adequate supply of cane. Additionally, some have temporarily shuttered their factories for maintenance and upgrades.
