Kenya suspends sugar imports amid elevated home manufacturing  | Meals Enterprise Africa

KENYA – The Kenya Border Management and Operations Coordination Committee has introduced the suspension of sugar imports into the nation, citing a major rise in home manufacturing as the first purpose for the directive.  

Raymond Omollo, the Inside Principal Secretary and chair of the committee, issued the directive to frame administration committee chairpersons throughout 27 areas to implement the ban. 

Omollo highlighted the continued reforms inside the sugar business, stating, “In gentle of the continued reforms inside the sugar business, it’s evident that home sugar manufacturing is presently ample to fulfill nationwide demand.”  

In keeping with knowledge from the Agriculture and Meals Authority (AFA), native sugar manufacturing noticed substantial will increase in June and July 2024, with averages of 75,500 metric tonnes and 80,500 metric tonnes per thirty days, respectively.  

Kenya’s annual sugar consumption is 1.1 million metric tonnes, with a median month-to-month consumption of 80,000 metric tonnes. 

The suspension of sugar imports comes as a part of broader efforts to guard and maintain the expansion of the home sugar business.  

Omollo emphasised the significance of supporting the continued revival of sugar mills, which is predicted to additional improve the business’s progress and bolster the economies of sugarcane-farming communities.  

“To maintain this optimistic trajectory, it’s important to guard the business by halting sugar imports,” he said in a letter dated August 22, 2024. 

Along with the import ban, Omollo directed border administration committee chairpersons to collaborate inside the multi-agency framework to conduct raids on unlawful sugar imports.  

The chairpersons are additionally required to supply updates on the matter and submit month-to-month reviews to the Border Administration Secretariat. 

The suspension follows issues raised by cane farmers over declining sugarcane costs.  

In August, the AFA lowered the value millers have been required to pay farmers from KES 5,125 to KES 4,950 (US$38.45) per tonne, attributing the decline to elevated cane manufacturing because the resumption of milling in December 2023.  

Nevertheless, after farmer protests, the federal government revised the value upward to KES 5,000 (US$38.84) per tonne, efficient August 22, 2024.  

Moreover, farmers are set to obtain bonuses for his or her produce as a part of the federal government’s ongoing reforms.