Sugarcane charcoal lowers energy costs

A tractor ferrying sugarcane along the Webuye-Malava road September 11, 2022. [Peter Ochieng, Standard]

Mama Philgona Kemunto from Kalamindi shopping centre, in Ndhiwa, Homa Bay County, almost closed down her chicken and fries eatery due to high cost of wood charcoal and gas. A 90-kilogramme bag of wood charcoal goes for Sh3, 500.

A small cylinder of gas goes Sh1,500 up from from Sh800 mid last year while a bigger one costs Sh3,600 up from Sh2,200 over the same period, partly due to the Russia- Ukraine crisis which saw skyrocketing prices of gas and other oil products.