The price of sugar in leading supermarkets has fallen by up to Ksh 15 per two-kilogramme packet, in what is set re to bring relief to many households.
A research conducted by the Nation at Quickmark Supermarket shows that the price of a 2 Kg packet has dropped down from Ksh 235 to Ksh 220. The price for a Kg of sugar at the same supermarket has dropped down from Ksh 125 to Ksh 115.
At Naivas Supermarket, the price of a two kilogramme-packet has dropped from Ksh 231 to Ksh 214 while the price for a one Kg packet has dropped to Ksh 116 from Ksh 111.
Muhoroni Sugar Receiver Manager Francis Ooko yesterday confirmed that indeed the price of a 50Kg bag had dropped to Ksh 4,400 from Ksh 4,700.
Sugar millers have attributed the price fall to panic among distributors who are anticipating cheap imports from the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) bloc.
‘’There is fear over looming imports, and most distributors are cautious of the quantities they buy from us. They are offering us low prices, ’’Mr Ooko.
Millers have therefore been left with no option, but to sell the product at low prices in order to eliminate the risk of remaining with huge stock.
Due to dumping of sugar in the country, Ministry of Agriculture had banned sugar importation into the country in July 2020, but ended up reversing the decision.
Kenya imports 350,000 tonnes of sugar from the COMESA bloc. The bloc has in the past been blamed for dumping sugar in the country which distorts prices.
Kenya imports sugar from the bloc in order to reduce an annual deficit and to stabilise prices in the country.
The move by the millers will go a long way in ensuring relief is granted to Kenyans especially those who were financially affected by Covid-19.
