President William Ruto has announced that Kenya could become a net exporter of sugar by 2029, driven by increased production and new investments in the sector. National sugar production has risen from 500,000 metric tonnes in 2022 to 850,000 tonnes this year, with a government target of one million tonnes next year. Ruto made the remarks at the Agriculture and Food Security Transformation Summit in Nairobi.
The government has licensed five new sugar factories, including Angata, Soit Sugar, and Siaya, to expand processing capacity. Additionally, an extra 200,000 acres have been brought under sugarcane cultivation this year, indicating renewed confidence among farmers. However, Ruto acknowledged financial challenges facing sugar millers and farmers, particularly at Nzoia, where workers have protested over unpaid arrears.
To address the financial challenges, Ruto assured that the government would pay all arrears owed to farmers and millers. He disclosed that Sh2 billion had already been paid, with another Sh1 billion expected to be released. The balance would be factored into the supplementary budget, with a further Sh1.8 billion expected by December or January.
Ruto linked sugar reforms to Kenya's broader food-security ambitions, noting that the country has been spending heavily on food imports. He stated that Kenya imports close to 500 billion shillings worth of food annually, which denies its people the opportunity to produce. The President emphasized the need to reduce imports and increase domestic production.
In addition to sugar, Ruto highlighted progress in the dairy sector, where milk production has risen from 4.5 billion liters to 5.6 billion liters last year, making Kenya Africa's largest milk producer. He also cited successes in maize production, which rose from 34.3 million bags in 2022 to 71 million bags in 2025, and cotton yields, which increased from 177kg to 378kg an acre.
The President outlined plans to continue investing in agriculture to reduce imports, increase production, and turn Kenya into a stronger food-producing and processing economy. This includes building mega, medium, and micro dams across the country under the National Infrastructure Fund, expanding acreage under irrigation to 2.5 million acres.
Since 2022, the government has subsidized more than 38 million bags of fertilizer, reducing the price from 7,500 shillings to 2,000 shillings per bag and cushioning farmers against high input costs. Ruto assured that the government would continue to support farmers and invest in the agriculture sector to achieve its food security goals.
Key points
- Kenya aims to become a net exporter of sugar by 2029.
- National sugar production has increased from 500,000 metric tonnes in 2022 to 850,000 tonnes this year.
- The government has licensed five new sugar factories to expand processing capacity.
