Kenya sugar production jumps 56.7pc
Local factories produced 690,521 tonnes between January and September 2026, up from 440,652 tonnes last year.
Kenya's sugar production increased by 56.7 per cent in the first nine months of 2026, with local factories producing 690,521 tonnes. This output is up from 440,652 tonnes recorded during the same period in 2025, representing an increase of 249,869 tonnes.
The rise in production coincided with a drop in the national average retail price of sugar to Sh155 per kilogram in September 2026, down from Sh171 in September 2025. Kenya Sugar Board Chief Executive Officer Jude Chesire is also chairing the International Sugar Organization Council. Kenya aims to build surpluses for exports by next year, projecting 900,000 tonnes against a demand of one million tonnes.
Sugarcane deliveries to factories processed 7.76 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2026, a 56.2 per cent increase from 4.97 million tonnes last year. Sugar imports fell by approximately 31 per cent to 251,690 tonnes between January and September 2026, compared to 364,486 tonnes in the same period of 2025.
Why it mattersKenyan households are experiencing relief from the cost of living due to lower sugar prices, and the country is positioning itself for future sugar exports.