Kenya sugar production surges 22% in first five months of 2026
Higher cane deliveries and government reforms are driving Kenya’s sugar industry recovery, strengthening plans to achieve self-sufficiency and expand sugar exports.
KENYA – Kenya’s sugar production increased by nearly 22% during the first five months of 2026, supported by higher sugarcane deliveries and ongoing government reforms aimed at revitalising the sector and positioning the country as a net sugar exporter.
According to the latest data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), domestic sugar production rose by 21.98% to 348,143 tonnes between January and May 2026, compared with 285,418 tonnes recorded during the corresponding period in 2025.
The growth was driven by a 25.1% increase in sugarcane deliveries from farmers, which climbed to 3.9 million tonnes from 3.1 million tonnes during the same period last year. The higher supply of raw material enabled factories to increase processing and improve overall output.
Despite the strong cumulative performance, monthly production declined from 68,800 metric tonnes in April to 53,300 metric tonnes in May 2026.
Commenting on the latest figures, KNBS said: “On a cumulative basis, sugar production during the first five months of 2026 increased to 348.1 thousand metric tonnes, compared to 285.4 thousand metric tonnes recorded during the corresponding period of 2025.”
The improved performance signals a continued recovery for Kenya’s sugar industry, which has faced years of declining production due to ageing factories, mounting debts, delayed farmer payments and increasing reliance on imported sugar.
The government has identified the sugar sector as a key pillar of its agricultural transformation agenda, with the objective of producing sufficient sugar for domestic consumption while generating surplus volumes for export to regional markets.
Authorities have linked the recovery to the implementation of the Sugar Act, 2024, the zoning of sugarcane-growing areas and the leasing of four state-owned sugar factories to private investors.
Sony, Nzoia, Chemelil and Muhoroni sugar factories have been leased to private operators under a programme intended to attract investment, modernise ageing infrastructure and improve operational efficiency after years of financial challenges.
According to the National Treasury, the leasing programme safeguards a combined crushing capacity of 11,200 tonnes of cane per day while encouraging private sector investment to upgrade factory operations.
The government also says zoning sugarcane-growing areas has reduced cane poaching, improved production planning and increased factory utilisation. Treasury estimates the revitalised industry now provides approximately 250,000 direct jobs and supports nearly six million livelihoods across farming, transport, milling and trade.
In April, the Kenya Sugar Board revised the minimum sugarcane price to Sh5,500 per tonne to improve farmer returns while supporting the financial sustainability of millers.
KNBS data also showed that soft drinks production declined from 58.0 million litres in April to 54.2 million litres in May 2026.
Meanwhile, the continued increase in cane deliveries is expected to support further growth in sugar production in the coming months, provided favourable weather conditions persist and factories maintain stable operations.
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