Kenya Sugar Board Sets New Payday for Sugarcane Farmers

Kenya, August 27, 2026 - Sugarcane millers will have seven days to pay farmers after receiving their produce, under new measures by the Kenya Sugar Board aimed at protecting growers from exploitation.

KSB Chief Executive Officer Jude Chesire said failure to adhere to the directive will subject millers to penalties, including interest on delayed payments.

The measures are aimed at ending prolonged payment delays that have left farmers waiting indefinitely for money after delivering their cane.

Millers have additionally been directed to establish clear cane harvesting frameworks by September 10, 2026, as the Government seeks to streamline the harvesting, transportation and delivery of cane.

This is expected to address delays that leave mature sugarcane deteriorating on farms before it is harvested and delivered to millers.

Furthermore, Chesire revealed that the board is procuring mobile weighbridges that will allow the regulator to independently verify cane weights and strengthen enforcement and oversight across the sector.

The measures come as Kenya's sugar industry continues to recover, with domestic production reaching 815,454 metric tonnes (MT) in 2024, the highest level recorded in recent years.

“The recovery accelerated sharply in recent months, with production reaching 89,709 MT in June and a record 91,022 MT in July 2026,” the board revealed.

“Despite the increase in production, Kenya remains a sugar-deficit country, with annual demand estimated at approximately 1.2 million MT. The demand comprises about one million MT of brown/table sugar and 200,000 MT of white refined sugar used by industries,” it added.

National sugar consumption reached approximately 1.216 million MT in 2025, leaving the country reliant on imports to bridge the supply gap.

Kenya imported 477,551 MT of sugar in 2025, while another 65,081 MT of brown sugar was imported between January and July 2026, mainly from the COMESA and EAC regions, according to the board.

White refined sugar remains a major concern, with KSB estimating that Kenya spends approximately KSh30 billion annually importing the commodity, an expenditure the board says could be reduced if the country improves local sugarcane production and develops domestic refining capacity.