PHOTO | TONNY OMONDI 

Sugar imports in the first four months of the year rose 23 percent compared to a similar period last year despite a slight increase in local production.

According to the Sugar Directorate, imports of the commodity between January and April stood at 184,677 tonnes compared to 150,302.

“Sugar imported in January–April 2019 totalled 184,677 tonnes against 150,302 tonnes in the same period last year, a 23 percent increase, attributed to high table sugar imports in the review period,” said the directorate.

The ex-factory sugar price was Sh4,235 at the beginning of the year before increasing to Sh4,295 for a 50-kilo bag in February to end the review period at Sh4,417 in April.

Total sugar sales in the review period were 193,532 tonnes compared with 180,979 tonnes sold in the same period last year, a rise of seven per cent.