KENYA - The Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) has launched a new directive mandating the registration of all traders involved in sugar packaging across Kenya. 

The move, effective from October 10, 2024, aims to enhance traceability and strengthen the monitoring of sugar quality on retail shelves.

In a public notice, AFA called on all sugar packers to provide their details through an official form, available on the agency's website, to regulate the packaging and ensure that sugar sold to consumers meets the required safety and quality standards. 

The directive is part of a broader strategy to address growing concerns over counterfeit and low-quality sugar infiltrating the market.

Registration requirements

Sugar packers are now required to submit a comprehensive set of documents when applying for registration. 

These include a Trademark Registration Certificate, a Certificate of Incorporation or Business Name, a Valid Tax Compliance Certificate, and the personal identification of the company's directors. 

Additionally, sugar packers must provide a sample of their branded product and the weight of sugar they intend to repackage, whether in grams or kilograms.

Before packaging, all sugar brands must receive approval from the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and comply with the labeling regulations outlined by the authority. 

This measure is intended to ensure that only certified sugar brands reach consumers and that all packaging complies with Kenya’s standards for product labeling and quality control.

Crackdown on counterfeit sugar

The registration initiative follows a series of incidents involving counterfeit sugar circulating in the Kenyan market. 

In May 2024, detectives from the Directorate of Criminal Investigations (DCI) arrested a suspect in Makueni County who was found transporting 2,500 kilograms of counterfeit sugar. 

The sugar was disguised in packaging resembling that of a popular local brand, with officers discovering that the expiration dates were handwritten—further evidence of the fraudulent nature of the product.

Such incidents have raised concerns among sugar manufacturers, who argue that rogue traders are rebranding and selling substandard sugar as legitimate products. The proliferation of these products has prompted AFA to take a more stringent approach to monitoring the industry.

Safeguarding consumer trust

AFA’s new regulations aim to restore consumer confidence in Kenya's sugar market by ensuring that all packaged sugar is traceable back to its source. 

In a statement, AFA Director General Dr. Bruno Linyiru highlighted the need for the initiative, referencing the provisions of the Crops Act No. 16 of 2013 as the legal foundation for the new directive.

“Pursuant to the Provisions of the Crops Act No. 16 of 2013, the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) intends to register all sugar packers for purposes of enhancing traceability and monitoring of sugar quality at the retail shelves,” Dr. Linyiru said.

The emphasis on traceability is seen as a key measure in improving the safety and quality of sugar products across the country. By requiring all packers to be registered and compliant with KEBS standards, the directive aims to address quality concerns and restore trust among consumers.

Curbing sugar imports

The directive comes at a time when the Ministry of Agriculture has also announced a tightening of regulations regarding sugar imports. 

On September 10, 2024, the Ministry revealed plans to reduce the importation of sugar from outside the East African Community (EAC) and the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) regions.

Kenya, which consumes approximately 950,000 metric tons of sugar annually, has historically relied on imports to bridge the gap between domestic production and demand. These imports, facilitated by COMESA and EAC trade agreements, have been protected by sugar safeguards set to expire in February 2025. 

With the expiration of these safeguards, the government is expected to introduce new measures aimed at supporting local production and reducing reliance on foreign sugar supplies.