Sugar production has dropped 31.2% in Kenya due to a cane shortage, pushing prices to a record higher.
 
Output fell to 332,034 tonnes in the seven months to July, compared to 482,871 tonnes a year earlier, Business Daily newspaper reported, citing Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS).
 
The newspaper said prices rose at the fastest pace for any food commodity, rising 61.4 percent year-on-year (YoY).

In comparison, the price of beans rose by 27.9% YoY, while cooking oil increased by 18.5% YoY.

One kilogram of sugar was retailing at between 213 and 225 shillings.  
 
During the seven months, the highest production was reported in January at 81,648 tonnes before falling to 31,495 tonnes in May.

Kenya has 16 sugar factories, of which the government owns five.

(Editing by Seban Scaria seban.scaria@lseg.com)