Sugar farmers across Kenya will pocket an extra Sh72,000 per acre when mills shut down for three months starting July 14. Acting CEO Jude Chesire from Kenya Sugar Board announced the closure affects factories in Kakamega, Bungoma, Busia, Trans Nzoia, and Kisumu counties. The strategic pause lets immature sugarcane reach full maturity before harvest time arrives. Farmers currently lose money because mills crush young cane that produces less sugar and lower payments. The break allows crops to develop properly and boost yields by four tonnes per acre.
Mills have been running below capacity while processing underdeveloped cane that hurts both quality and profits. Chesire explained that mature cane contains higher sucrose levels which means better returns for growers. The board will conduct a two-month census during the shutdown to count available mature cane supplies. Officials plan to survey cane availability and match factory capacities with actual crop supplies in each region. Higher sucrose content helps millers produce more sugar using less raw material.
The temporary closure creates benefits for both sides of the sugar industry equation. Farmers get premium prices for fully developed cane while mills operate more efficiently with quality raw materials. COMESA sugar safeguards protect the domestic market from cheap foreign imports until November 2025. Short-term disruptions from the shutdown will pay off through better prices and sustainable supply chains. The struggling sugar sector needs radical changes to survive and prosper again.
Mills have been running below capacity while processing underdeveloped cane that hurts both quality and profits. Chesire explained that mature cane contains higher sucrose levels which means better returns for growers. The board will conduct a two-month census during the shutdown to count available mature cane supplies. Officials plan to survey cane availability and match factory capacities with actual crop supplies in each region. Higher sucrose content helps millers produce more sugar using less raw material.
The temporary closure creates benefits for both sides of the sugar industry equation. Farmers get premium prices for fully developed cane while mills operate more efficiently with quality raw materials. COMESA sugar safeguards protect the domestic market from cheap foreign imports until November 2025. Short-term disruptions from the shutdown will pay off through better prices and sustainable supply chains. The struggling sugar sector needs radical changes to survive and prosper again.
