Kenya has approved a higher allocation of industrial sugar imports under the East African Community (EAC) Duty Remission Scheme as manufacturers respond to rising demand across the food and beverage industry. The additional imports are expected to support the production of confectionery, soft drinks, dairy products, alcoholic beverages and other processed foods, where industrial sugar remains an essential manufacturing input. The move highlights the government’s continued efforts to support local value addition while ensuring manufacturers have adequate access to raw materials.
The East African Community Council of Ministers has authorized 17 manufacturers to import a combined 99,960 tonnes of industrial sugar under the duty remission programme. The allocation covers manufacturers producing confectionery, beverages, dairy products, alcoholic drinks and other food products. Under the scheme, approved manufacturers are allowed to import industrial sugar at a 10.0% import duty, provided the sugar is used exclusively in the production of approved manufactured goods.
Several major manufacturers received significant allocations under the programme. Mzuri Sweets Limited was approved to import 20,000 tonnes for confectionery production, while Almasi Bottlers Limited received 16,000 tonnes for the manufacture of carbonated soft drinks, energy drinks and fruit juices. Kenafric Industries Limited was allocated 15,000 tonnes for chewing gum, candies and toffees, while Kenya Sweets Limited received 12,000 tonnes for sweets, cocoa products and icing sugar. Other approved beneficiaries include Kenya Breweries Limited, Brookside Dairy, Coastal Bottlers Limited, Del Monte Kenya, UDV Kenya, Candy Kenya Limited and Premier Foods Limited, illustrating strong demand for industrial sugar across multiple manufacturing subsectors.
The increased allocation comes as Kenya’s manufacturing sector continues to experience improving business activity. Industrial sugar imported under the duty remission programme is subject to strict regulatory requirements designed to ensure the concession supports genuine manufacturing activities. Manufacturers must first register with the Sugar Directorate before applying for duty remission and obtain approval for each shipment imported into the country. Every application must disclose the sugar’s country of origin, quantity, quality and import price for verification purposes.
Additional controls apply to sugar sourced from outside the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA). Manufacturers importing from non-COMESA countries are required to obtain separate approval from the National Treasury before importation. These regulatory measures are intended to ensure that duty-remitted sugar is used solely in industrial production and does not enter the domestic retail sugar market.
The Duty Remission Scheme remains an important policy instrument for supporting Kenya’s manufacturing sector by reducing the cost of key production inputs. Lower import duties help manufacturers remain competitive while promoting value addition, employment and the production of processed goods for both domestic consumption and regional export markets.
Overall, the approval of 99,960 tonnes of industrial sugar for 17 manufacturers underscores the growing demand for industrial inputs within Kenya’s food and beverage industry. By providing access to industrial sugar at concessional duty rates under the EAC Duty Remission Scheme, the programme continues to support manufacturing growth, strengthen value addition and enhance the competitiveness of Kenya’s processing sector.
