Cane cutters at a sugarcane farm.
Large stocks of mature sugarcane boosted sugar production last month, offsetting the impact of an overall drop in the volume of the crop milled.
The latest report from the Kenya Sugar Board (KSB) shows that the country’s sugar output increased by five per cent to 76,758 tonnes in February, up from 73,019 the previous month. Contrastingly, the total volume of sugarcane milled in February stood at 816,632 tonnes, down from 827,482 in January.
KSB Chief Executive Officer Jude Chesire said millers benefited from an adequate supply of mature cane, which improved their sugar recovery efficiency.
A transporter offloads cane at the Kibos Sugar and Allied Industries in Muhoroni, Kisumu on June 9, 2023.
"The availability of mature cane which is known to contain a higher sucrose content ensured that millers could extract more sugar per tonne of cane crushed, leading to an increase in production despite the slight decline in total cane milled," he said.
Mature sugarcane produces more sugar because as it ages, the plant's physiological processes shift to prioritise sugar accumulation in the stalks. Mature cane refers to sugarcane that has reached its full potential for sugar content and is ready for harvesting, typically occurring after 9-16 months in warm climates or 18-24 months in cooler climates.
The high stocks of mature sugarcane contributed to the improved cane-to-sugar ratio recorded in February, which stood at 10.64, up from 11.33 in January.
Kenya Sugar Board Chief Executive Officer Jude Chesire.
Despite the rise in production, sugar sales dropped by 11 per cent to 66,151 tonnes, down from 74,000 tonnes in the previous month.
Consequently, closing sugar stocks more than doubled, reaching 20,413 tonnes from 9,653 tonnes the previous month.
Mr Chesire attributed the slow sales to economic factors that affected consumer spending in early 2025.
“We were just coming from the month of December, where people had spent most of their money on festivities, and then moving into January and February when parents had to prioritise school fees. This naturally affected demand and led to stock accumulation,” he explained.
The report further indicates that local sugar prices experienced a marginal decline during the period. The ex-factory price of sugar decreased by 0.7 per cent to Sh6,525 per 50-kilogramme bag, while wholesale prices fell by six per cent to Sh6,712 for the same quantity.
Retail prices also dropped slightly, averaging Sh156 per kilogramme, down from Sh157 in January.
However, Mr Chesire remains optimistic that prices will stabilize and eventually rise due to market forces.
