NAIROBI, Kenya, Aug 6 – West Kenya Sugar Company has urged Parliament to adopt a formal policy linking sugar imports to domestic production, arguing that imports should be reduced whenever local output improves to protect farmers, millers and rural livelihoods.
In a submission to the National Assembly’s Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives, the company said although the government has indicated it would gradually reduce imports as local production rises, that commitment has not been fully implemented.
It noted that national sugar production rose by 35 percent in the first half of 2026 compared to the same period in 2025, while imports declined by only 10 percent.
“The concern is not importation itself; imports are justified in genuine deficit years such as 2025. The concern is importation above the deficit as domestic production recovers,” the company stated.
West Kenya warned that excessive imports during periods of higher local production weaken sugarcane farming, delay payments to farmers, reduce industrial capacity, threaten jobs and expose the country to food security risks.
It proposed that imports should only be used as a temporary measure to bridge genuine supply deficits while domestic production is strengthened.
The company also argued that imported sugar is subject to less regulatory scrutiny than locally produced sugar.
It said local millers undergo factory inspections, product certification, routine sampling, audits and surveillance by agencies such as KEBS, while imported sugar is mainly tested at entry before moving through distributors and repackers with limited follow-up monitoring.
West Kenya further proposed that no large-scale imports be allowed during peak crushing seasons when local factories have adequate stocks.
It recommended retaining an emergency import mechanism for exceptional situations such as drought, disease outbreaks or major factory shutdowns.
