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The government plans to leverage the experience of the private sector to enhance the efficiency of industrial sugar production, Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Andrew Karanja has said.

He said the initiative aims to increase local production and reduce reliance on cheap sugar imports.

Karanja emphasised the importance of focusing on local production to ensure the sustainability and growth of the sugar industry.

“We want to collaborate with private sector experts, as we seek to implement innovative strategies and technologies that will boost production capacity and improve the quality of locally produced sugar,” he said.

Karanja who was speaking during a field tour of Kibos Sugar Refinery plant in Kisumu said the move is part of a broader effort to revitalise the sugar industry and make it more competitive in the regional and global markets.

The government, he added, is committed to supporting local farmers and businesses, ensuring that they have the necessary resources and infrastructure to thrive.

The initiative aligns with the recently implemented Sugar Act 2024, which aims to regulate and promote the development of the sugar industry in Kenya.

The Act establishes Kenya Sugar Board and Kenya Sugar Research and Training Institute, which will play a crucial role in overseeing the industry’s growth and development.

Karanja said in focusing on local production and leveraging private sector expertise, the government hopes to create a more robust and self-sufficient sugar industry that can meet the demands of the domestic market and reduce the need for imports.

The CS spoke as Trade and Investment Principal Secretary Juma Mukhwana embarked on encouraging local beer manufacturers, including Kenya Breweries Limited (KBL), to support local sugar millers by purchasing processed brown and industrial sugar.

However, there’s a big challenge because the Kenyan sugar millers still lack the technical capacity to produce refined sugar.