Nairobi, July 19 -- Sugar imports under a special East African Community (EAC) tax for the manufacture of various industrial products, including whisky, gin, soda, milk drinks, and drinking chocolate, have surged significantly as firms service bigger product demand.

The latest Stanbic Bank Kenya Purchasing Managers' Index (PMI) shows that private sector activity improved in June 2026 amid higher employment-an indication of improved orders for players including manufacturers.

In the latest round of approvals, 17 Kenyan firms have been cleared to import 99,960 tonnes of industrial sugar under the EAC-wide duty remission scheme, which attracts a payable rate of 10 percent duty. This is a significant increase in volume compared to the previ...