{
  "id": 18696200,
  "title": "Kenya sugar production jumps 56.7pc as prices fall by Sh32 for 2kg",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/11/07/kenya-sugar-production-jumps-56-7pc-as-prices-fall-by-sh32-for-2kg",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-11-07T10:33:59.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Capital FM Kenya",
    "slug": "capital-fm-kenya",
    "url": "https://capitalfm.africa/kenya-sugar-production-jumps-56-7pc-as-prices-fall-by-sh32-for-2kg/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Nairobi, Kenya - Kenya’s sugar production surged by 56.7 percent during the first nine months of 2026, contributing to a decrease in import dependence and pricing relief, as the nation positions itself for increased exports and enhanced investment in sugar processing. According to the Kenya Sugar Board, factories produced 690,521 tonnes of sugar, a significant rise from 440,652 tonnes in the same period last year. This growth, amounting to 249,869 tonnes, aligns with a reduction in the average retail price of sugar, dropping from Sh171 to Sh155 per kilogram in September 2026. This price cut translates to a Sh32 decrease for every two kilograms, offering some respite to households amid rising living costs. The improved output comes as Kenya Sugar Board Chief Executive Officer Jude Chesire assumes a more prominent role in international sugar matters. Chesire played a crucial role in resolving a leadership impasse at the International Sugar Organization (ISO), where he now chairs the Council. With his leadership, Mauritius’ Devesh Devani was elected as the first four-year term Executive Director, followed by Brazil’s Eduardo Leão de Sousa. Chesire’s international advocacy aims to explore export markets, investment opportunities, ethanol production, and technological advancements in sugar processing. Kenya anticipates building surpluses for exports next year and requires international platforms to forge new markets. The country is set to produce 900,000 tonnes of sugar by next year, compared to an estimated demand of one million tonnes. This increase is driven by higher sugarcane deliveries to factories, which processed 7.76 million tonnes in the first nine months of 2026, marking a 56.2 percent rise from 4.97 million tonnes in the same period last year. This growth in local production reflects a concurrent decline in sugar imports, which dropped by approximately 31 percent to 251,690 tonnes, down from 364,486 tonnes last year. Import volumes of mill white and brown sugar saw the sharpest decline, falling by about 71 percent to 65,845 tonnes from 226,730 tonnes. Refined white sugar imports, however, increased to 158,006 tonnes from 137,756 tonnes, indicating the ongoing necessity to boost local processing capacity to meet varied sugar demand. Local millers' sales also grew by 45.6 percent to 635,672 tonnes, compared to 436,593 tonnes in the first nine months of 2025. At the end of September, sugar stocks totaled 70,773 tonnes, up from 14,033 tonnes the previous year, providing a larger buffer for inventory. Chesire highlighted the potential for Kenya to expand ethanol and biofuel production by leveraging molasses, a byproduct of sugar manufacturing. Molasses production increased by 62.1 percent to 307,617 tonnes between January and September 2026, compared to 189,809 tonnes in the same period last year. Increasing molasses stocks stood at 65,384 tonnes at the end of September, up from 12,735 tonnes the year before, signaling potential for further processing and value addition if investment and market opportunities are secured. Despite these gains in sugar production, Kenya's exports remain limited, with only 315.57 tonnes exported between January and September 2026, compared to 244.80 tonnes in the same period last year.",
  "summary": "NAIROBI, Kenya, Nov 7-Kenya’s sugar production increased by 56.7 per cent in the first nine months of 2026, helping reduce reliance on imports and ease retail prices, as the country…",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}