Nairobi: Kenya’s domestic sugar production crisis has given a major boost to Ugandan millers, as a sharp shortage of sugarcane has forced the country to turn to neighboring markets for supplies, PMLDaily reported.
New data shows that Kenya’s sugar imports from Uganda and Tanzania jumped more than 700 percent to 170.1 billion shillings in the three months to September 2025, underscoring the country’s growing dependence on East African Community (EAC) partners to help steady food prices.
The shortage followed an order from the Kenya Sugar Board directing seven large factories in western Kenya to halt milling to allow sugarcane to mature after authorities reported a serious lack of harvest-ready crops.
Figures from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics indicate that Uganda gained the most from the situation, with Kenyan purchases of Ugandan sugar rising nearly fivefold during the quarter to 4.36 billion shillings.
According to analysts, the development highlights the vulnerability of Kenya’s farm sector. Just a year earlier, President William Ruto had announced that the country was producing enough sugar to meet domestic demand, crediting government support and better industry management for the surplus.
“For the first time in recent history, Kenya is producing enough sugar to meet local demand,” Ruto said in a November 2024 address.
That momentum has since been affected by unpredictable weather and the early harvesting of immature cane, which reduced available stocks. As retail prices climbed in Kenya, exporters in Uganda quickly stepped in to bridge the gap.
Tanzania has also become an important supplier. Once a minor exporter to Kenya, the country recorded an almost 19,000 percent surge in sugar trade over the same period.
The situation has revived discussion about the long-term sustainability of regional sugar trade and whether Kenyan producers can recover before neighboring suppliers strengthen their position in the market.
