NAIROBI, Kenya, Feb 21 – Kenya will receive two ships loaded with sugar at the Port of Mombasa to alleviate the current high price of the commodity.
The ships, which originate from Laem Chabang in Thailand and Sheng Heng Hai in China, will dock on February 28 and March 1 2023 respectively.
The consignments are set to calm down soaring prices of sugar with a 2-kilo now retailing at about Sh250 at major retailers.
In October last year, a two-kilo of sugar rose by Sh12, at a time when the country is facing a 34 per cent decline in cane production.
A spot-check by Capital Business at leading retail stores such as Naivas and Quickmart in Embakasi, Nairobi, showed that a packet has gone up from Sh300 last week to Sh312 currently.
Costly sugar came at a time when the country’s sugar production in August dipped 34 percent compared to the previous month, attributed to immature canes and the just concluded general elections.
Data from the Sugar Directorate showed that total production dropped to 46,459 tonnes in August from 70, 278 tonnes in July.
Efforts to stabilise sugar prices have been hampered by a 210,000 sugar import cap that the Treasury introduced to protect local producers.
Under the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), members are allowed to import up to 350,000 tonnes, meaning that the country could import an additional 140,000 tonnes to cushion locals.
