By Okong’o Oduya
Busia, Kenya: Sugarcane millers in Busia County have accused the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) of failing to develop policies that govern the sugar sector in Kenya.
In a security meeting that brought together sugar millers, cane farmers, and security agencies in Busia, the Authority was blamed for failing to put in place policies to govern the sector.
According to Busia County Commissioner Mr. Kipchumba Ruto, what is going on in Busia County when it comes to the sugarcane sector is chaotic, where farmers have been selling their canes to brokers.
“Cane farming and milling has caused chaos in the sugar sector and it is because there are no regulations to govern the sector. Agricultural Authority do not have regulations to protect the farmer and mills and to bring sanity in the sugar subsector,” said Mr. Ruto.
Adding “There is a need for parliament to develop strict legislations to govern the sugar subsector in Busia and the country at large to bring sanity in the subsector.”
Addressing the millers, farmers and security agencies in the County Mr. Ruto noted that lack of discipline between millers and farmers has contributed to confusion in the sector.
“We are calling upon the millers and farmers to observe discipline when selling the canes to the millers. To the contracted farmers, they should not sell their cane to millers other than those that have contracted them, doing so they end up incurring losses. What we require is millers’ farmers’ discipline to have law and order in the sector,” said the county commissioner.
Mr. Ruto said they have directed the police department to deal with goons who are hired to protect millers when poaching cane.
“Some mills have gone to the extent of hiring goons to protect them during cane poaching, which is criminal. We have advised the police to bring out the criminal goons who are protecting the illegal activities of both millers and farmers,” said Ruto.
According to the Olepito Sugar company general manager Mr. Gerald Okoth, there is a need for the cane millers and farmers in Busia to work together and conduct genuine business free from cane poaching.
“As millers, there is a need to develop our cane before we contract out growers. Millers should plant cane upon maturity when you start milling, instead of waiting to poach cane developed by other millers,” said Mr. Okoth.
“Millers have agreed to adhere to the agreement arrived at in the meeting, which includes desisting from harvesting immature cane. Harvesting young cane will affect production for millers as well as farmers and we don’t want that to happen. Let millers contract farmers and harvest mature cane so that we can all benefit from the farming.”
Ms. Meresha Achieng, representing the agricultural officer at Busia Sugar Industry at Busibwabu, called upon farmers to remain loyal to the millers they have agreed with.
“We are pleading with farmers to bear with us. Many times we face challenges as millers that provoke farmers to run to other millers. Let us continue honoring the contracts we sign with various millers and by doing so we will eradicate cane poaching and immature cane harvesting,” said Ms. Achieng.
According to the operational manager in the agricultural sector at Mumias sugar factory Mr. George Waswa, they have developed a nuclear system in Mumias as a source of seed cane that will be used to distribute to the out growers’ farmers.
Mr. Waswa urged the farmers to avoid selling cane to other millers that they were not in agreement with.
“We have a cane in our nuclear system to be used as seed cane that will be distributed to the out-grower farmers. I wish also to urge farmers to be honest and sincere, if they know they have contracted a certain miller, they should not be tempted to sell their cane to other millers,” said Mr. Waswa.
The County executive committee member in charge of Agriculture in the Department of Agriculture Dr George Mukok, said the county government will work closely with the national government to formulate policies and regulations to be used to manage the sugar sector.
“The reason we have gathered here is to strengthen the sugar industry. We are wear it has challenges and as a county government we allow agriculture to be a devolved function, most of the issues raised here are legal frameworks and as we mentioned there is the national law and county-specific laws, we are going to fast-track the issues of policy that is in line with the national laws including farm input subsidies to allow the sector run smoothly,” said Dr. Mukok.
Chairperson of Kenya National Federation of sugarcane farmers Mr. Ibrahim Juma said through poaching both millers and farmers are losing, adding that those poaching cane do not care whether the farmers or millers get profit or not.
