Kenya has formally exited the COMESA Sugar Safeguard after 24 years, marking a decisive and confident transition for the country’s sugar sector.
The safeguard, which lapsed on November 30, 2025, was originally introduced as a temporary, reform-driven measure to stabilize and restructure the industry, and the Kenya Sugar Board says its conclusion reflects the success of the sector’s reforms.
“The safeguard had fully achieved its objective as a temporary, reform-driven instrument to stabilize and restructure the sector,” said Jude Chesire, CEO of the Kenya Sugar Board.
“This transition reflects strength, not vulnerability. Kenya’s sugar industry is stable, well-managed, and supported by clear policy direction.”
Over the past several years, the Kenya Sugar Board, under the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, has shifted focus from protection to competitiveness.
Key reforms have included the privatization and long-term leasing of former state-owned sugar mills, diversification of sugar by-products, and support for millers to improve efficiency and value addition.
“The Kenya Sugar Board has been at the forefront of supporting millers to diversify sugar by-products, ensuring stronger balance sheets, stable cash flows, and improved farmer payments,” Chesire added.
The sector has recorded strong growth in recent years.
Sugarcane acreage expanded by 19.4 per cent, from 242,508 hectares to 289,631 hectares, while production increased by 76 per cent, from 472,773 metric tonnes in 2022 to 815,454 metric tonnes, attributed to favorable rainfall, improved access to certified seed cane, and targeted fertilizer subsidies.
Current national sugar demand stands at approximately 1.1 million metric tonnes annually.
While domestic production is improving, the Kenya Sugar Board says controlled imports from both COMESA and non-COMESA sources will continue to ensure price stability and meet demand.
“Importation will be applied in a controlled and transparent manner to ensure price stability for consumers, market certainty for producers, and overall food security, without undermining local production,” Chesire noted.
The Kenya Sugar Board emphasized that the end of the safeguard marks the successful completion of a reform cycle, not its abandonment.
Kenya now enters a new phase defined by competitiveness, value addition, regional integration, and sustainable growth.
“The Government remains fully committed to safeguarding farmer livelihoods, supporting miller viability, and ensuring food security, price stability, and long-term growth of the sugar sector within the COMESA Free Trade Area,” Chesire said.
With the sector now structured for competitiveness and backed by a clear policy framework, Kenya is poised to meet domestic demand, achieve self-sufficiency, and position itself as a strong player in the regional sugar market.
