Kenya targets sugar export market in three years
The Bura Irrigation Scheme aims to boost sugarcane production with yields double those of other regions.
Kenya aims to enter the international sugar export market within three years through a public-private partnership at the Bura Irrigation Scheme in Tana River County. The government has leased 135,000 acres of the 176,000-acre scheme to investors, including Sukari Industries and Tana River Sugar, who will cultivate sugarcane on 50,000 acres each. This expansion is supported by a new 26-kilometre gravity canal delivering water from the Tana River.
Head of Public Service Felix Koskei stated that the coastal region was chosen for its land and water resources, noting sugarcane matures in 10 months there, faster than in Western Kenya or Nyanza. Irrigation Principal Secretary Ephantus Kimotho added that the scheme could achieve 50 tonnes per hectare, double the yield elsewhere, with the 100,000 acres for sugarcane expected to produce over five million metric tonnes per harvest.
This project is part of efforts to increase sugarcane production and strengthen Kenya's regional sugar market position, reversing a 24.5% drop in domestic production in 2025. The government anticipates meeting domestic demand and creating a surplus for export within four years.
Why it mattersKenyan farmers and investors in the Tana River County's Bura Irrigation Scheme will benefit from increased sugarcane yields and faster crop maturation, leading to export opportunities.