Seven sugar factories in western Kenya have been directed to suspend milling operations for three months beginning July 14 to allow sugarcane to mature, following growing concerns over widespread harvesting of immature cane.

The Kenya Sugar Board (KSB) issued the order on the back of a meeting held on July 4 at Sarova Imperial Hotel in Kisumu, where industry players and the regulator confirmed a severe shortage of mature cane in both the lower and upper western sugarcane zones.

The shutdown will affect Mumias, Butali, and West Kenya in Kakamega, as well as Nzoia and Naitiri in Bungoma. Busia Sugar Industry and Olepito in Busia County are also included in the directive.

In a notice to the affected millers, KSB acting chief executive Jude Chesire said, “During the most recent meeting held at the Sarova Imperial Hotel in Kisumu on Friday, July 4, 2025, it was established that both the lower and upper western sugarcane catchment areas had a severe shortage of mature cane.”

He added, “It was, therefore, resolved that milling operations in the western region be temporarily stopped to allow cane to mature.”

The board noted that the mismatch between sugarcane development and factory capacity had left millers with little choice but to crush underage cane, causing widespread losses to farmers due to reduced sucrose yields.

“This has led to the harvesting and subsequent milling of immature sugarcane. Consequently, farmers are incurring losses due to lower yields associated with immature harvesting,” said Chesire.

Sugarcane generally takes between 16 to 18 months to reach optimal maturity for sucrose accumulation, the key component in sugar production. But recent trends show that millers have resorted to harvesting cane as young as 10 months.

Industry stakeholders have blamed the rush on rampant cane poaching, as factories scramble to meet their crushing targets despite the dwindling supply of mature crop.

The board hopes that the temporary shutdown will give farmers enough time to allow their crops to grow to the recommended age and restore a sustainable supply of quality cane to the mills once operations resume.