Sugar prices in Western Kenya have shot up by Sh10 and Sh20 per kilo.
Many residents have been caught by surprise by the new increased sugar prices.
Most sugar consumers are avoiding sugar brands from factories mentioned in the controversial imported mercury sugar in the country.
Due to an increased demand for Sony Sugar brands in Nyanza, retailers opted to increase the sugar prices.
According to one of the traders at Migori, Jamil Shah, the demand for local sugar has outweighed their supply.
A 50kg bag of Sony sugar is now going at Ksh. 5,500 which initially was Ksh. 4,300.
"There is no problem if we make some coins from the crisis. We have other brands in the stores but nobody is buying them," he said.
However, Bernard Otieno, the South Nyanza Sugar Company MD requested traders not to exploit customers due to their needs.
In Kakamega, residents are also complaining about the increased sugar prices.
"We were buying a 50kg bag at a wholesale price of Sh4,050 before it was increased to Sh5,500. This has made us increase the price of a kilo from Sh100 to Sh120," said Mr Osman Abdi, a trader in Mumias.
Due to trust issues from distributors, supermarkets and other sugar traders are now buying their stock directly from millers.
"Before the crackdown, we were buying sugar from distributors but we now order from millers directly. This has complicated the supply chain and pushed demand up," said Mr Otundo.
Confirming the incident, a senior manager at West Kenya Sugar Company affirmed that the price for a 50kg bag has gone high to Ksh 5,500 from Ksh. 3,800.