Due to high current global prices and a shortage of the commodity globally, Kenya may not be able to secure stocks of sugar at the international market even with the opening of duty-free imports. This will keep the price high on the shelves.
Willis Audi, the director of sugar, claims that imports may be hampered by the continued high price of sugar on the international market. To combat an impending shortage that has driven up the price of sugar, the government opened an import window in December that would allow traders to ship in 100,000 tonnes from outside the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (Comesa).
In order to cover its annual deficit, which has reached one million dollars against the production of 800,000 tonnes annually. According to the Sugar Directorate, in the EU prices are higher by at least $20 per tonne compared to within the region.
