President Willian Ruto on Wednesday, August 2 blamed the sugarcane shortage in farms for the skyrocketing prices of sugar.
Speaking during a press briefing at State House Nairobi, Ruto indicated that many factories in the country had temporarily closed due to the unavailability of raw materials, forcing many retailers to sell the additive at Ksh500.
He added that the shortage has even forced some companies to harvest premature cane.
The Head of State further lamented that the sugar industry has been plagued by confusion and lawlessness, but revealed that the government is implementing measures aimed at organising and improving the sector.
"We have had confusion and chaos in the whole sugar subsector. There has also been poaching from one level to another. We also have people refusing to work in accordance with the law" he stated.
Ruto also explained that although the government was initially reluctant to allow the importation of sugar, circumstances had forced the executive to backtrack on that stance.
"We have given licences for the importation of sugar and there has not been a sufficient supply in the COMESA region.
"We are sure that we will get enough when we get to the rest of the market" Ruto added.
Ruto provided reassurance that by the end of August 2023, the prices would decrease as new stocks of goods make their way into the country.
Nonetheless, he reinforced his commitment to finding a long-term solution to address the cost of sugar, expressing a firm belief that the government's interventions will yield the desired results.
Ruto emphasised that empowering farmers would play a vital role in resolving the sugarcane shortage issue.
Simultaneously, the Head of State made a significant announcement by reducing the price of a 50 kg bag of fertilizer from Ksh3,500 to Ksh2,500.
