Kenya’s sugar production rises 5% despite decline in cane crushing
Increased sugar yields from mature cane boosted production, though sales dropped and unsold stock levels more than doubled in February.
KENYA – Kenya recorded a 5 percent increase in sugar production in February, driven by a steady supply of mature sugarcane, even as the total volume of cane crushed by mills slightly declined.
According to the latest report from the Kenya Sugar Board (KSB), sugar production reached 76,758 tonnes, up from 73,019 tonnes in January.
However, the amount of sugarcane processed by mills fell to 816,632 tonnes from 827,482 tonnes the previous month.
KSB CEO Jude Chesire attributed the rise in output to the availability of fully grown sugarcane with a higher sugar content, allowing millers to extract more from each tonne of cane despite the lower crushing volumes.
“Having enough mature cane allowed millers to produce more sugar even though they crushed slightly less cane overall,” Chesire explained.
Sugarcane, which matures between nine and 24 months depending on climate conditions, accumulates more sugar as it grows. This contributed to improved efficiency, with 10.64 tonnes of cane required to produce one tonne of sugar in February, compared to 11.33 tonnes in January.
Despite the increase in production, sugar sales declined by 11% to 66,151 tonnes, down from 74,000 tonnes in January.
Consequently, unsold stocks more than doubled to 20,413 tonnes from 9,653 tonnes the previous month.
Chesire linked the dip in sales to lower consumer spending in early 2025.
“Many people had already spent their money during the December holidays, and by January and February, families were focusing on school expenses. This naturally lowered demand, leading to higher stock levels,” he noted.
The report also indicated a slight drop in sugar prices. Factory prices decreased by 0.7% to Kes 6,525 (US$50.51) per 50kg bag, while wholesale prices declined by 6% to Kes 6,712 (US$51.96) for the same quantity.
Retail prices fell marginally, averaging Kes 156 (US$1.21) per kilogramme, compared to Kes 157 (US$1.22) in January.
Meanwhile, the Kenya Union of Sugarcane Plantation and Allied Workers (KUSPAW) has raised concerns over government plans to lease state-owned sugar mills.
KUSPAW Secretary General Francis Wangara warned that the union would seek legal action to halt the leasing process if outstanding worker salaries were not settled.
Wangara stated that the government must clear Kes 4.7 billion (US$36.38M) in overdue wages before proceeding with the plan, which includes leasing Nzoia, South Nyanza (SONY), Chemelil, and Muhoroni sugar companies.
He further revealed that the factories owed the union Kes 10 million (US$77.4K) in unremitted employee deductions.
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