Kenyans are facing a substantial increase in sugar costs as a result of the government’s decision to temporarily halt local production and impose an excise levy on imports.

Since May 2023, when the duty-free import window expired, sugar prices have been rising. 100,000 metric tonnes of duty-free sugar from outside the COMESA area were to be imported in December 2022, according to a gazette notice from Treasury CS Njuguna Ndung’u.

Farmers and dealers issued a warning in June 2023 that rising input and fuel expenses would lead to further increases in the price of unga and sugar. On the other hand, they also mentioned problems including decreased domestic manufacturing in the nation and rising import prices made worse by currency fluctuations.