State to soon pay Nzoia Sugar farmers Sh579m directly

The Government has released Sh579 million to pay cane farmers contracted by Nzoia Sugar Company.

The company's board chairman, Joash Wamang’oli, said that Treasury had set aside the funds, and that they would be paid to farmers directly instead of being sent to the miller's account.

Mr Wamang’oli said the money would be used to pay 17,269 farmers who have delivered cane to the miller.

“We are happy that Treasury has sent the funds to the Ministry of Agriculture and very soon farmers will be receiving money,” Wamang'oli said.

He assured the farmers that their money would be in their accounts latest by end of this week.

Currently, Nzoia Sugar Company pays its farmers Sh3,800 per tonne of cane delivered.

In January, President Uhuru Kenyatta said a list of the farmers who had not been paid was being finalised and would soon be out before payments started being released.

President Uhuru said it was regrettable that the sugarcane farmers had for years encountered problems that had crippled the sugar industry.

He said his administration was looking into ways to find a lasting solution to rejuvenate the industry.

He added that the task force led by Council of Governors Chairman Wycliffe Oparanya and Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri was finalising a report that would show what was troubling the sector.