Sugar farmers get a boost by Ksh300 per tonne
KSB chairperson Nicholas Gumbo said the initiative is part of a wider approach by the board to revive the sector that has been dogged by a myriad of challenges
Sugar farmers have a reason to laugh after the government adjusted upwards the price of the commodity by Ksh 300 per tonne effectively from February 10, 2025.
In a letter addressed to all managing directors of sugar factories in Kenya, Agriculture Principal Secretary Kiprono Ronoh said the factories need to adhere to the new minimum cane prices.
The PS said the new sugar price was suggested by the Interim Sugarcane Pricing Committee during its first meeting on Friday 7, 2025 to review.
“The committee approved an upward adjustment of the minimum sugar case from the current Ksh 5,000 per tonne to Ksh 5,300 per tonne with effect from February 10, 2025,” the PS said.
Sugar farmers in Kenya have been facing challenges raging from low prices, outdated sugarcane varieties, and reliance on contract farming with sugar mills. Last year, the Kenya Sugar Board (KSB) introduced a comprehensive guide to empower sugarcane farmers with best practices to enhance productivity and sustainability.
KSB chairperson Nicholas Gumbo said the initiative is part of a wider approach by the board to revive the sector that has been dogged by a myriad of challenges. Gumbo said through the guide the board targets to reduce the cost of cane development to guarantee farmers maximum benefits.
This, he added, is set to double yields per hectare to ensure that the country produces enough sugar to satisfy the local market and for export.
Other interventions, he said, include sugarcane value chain development to ensure that farmers and millers reap maximum benefits.
