Sugarbelt leaders want State to emulate private millers efficiency

"It is important that State-owned millers borrow a leaf from the private factories which are run efficiently and managed well like West Kenya and Butali Sugar," said Injendi.

"The farmers are suffering because factories closed, so they have nowhere to sell their sugarcane," the Malava lawmaker maintained.

The private factories were lauded for paying farmers weekly and competitively as opposed to struggling government-owned millers.

Sugarcane development

For instance, in 2022, details show that West Kenya Sugar Company spent Sh300 million to pay more than 2,000 farmers weekly, translating into Sh15 billion annually.

The money was paid to farmers in 10 counties, including Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma, Vihiga, Siaya, Kericho, Nandi, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Kisumu and West Pokot.

West Kenya Sugar Company, which owns Kabras Sugar in Kakamega, Olepito Sugar in Busia, and Naitiri Sugar in Bungoma, advanced at least Sh3 billion to develop sugarcane between 2020 and 2023.

Matungu MP Oscar Nabulindo lauded the idea of reviving sugar millers but warned that as long as there are no sufficient raw materials, it will be difficult to accomplish the revival plans.

He advocated for a special fund to be set aside specifically for cane development at least for two years.

"We are talking about reviving factories like Mumias Sugar but we are not talking about developing sugarcane. The first thing that should be done is to first develop enough sugarcane so that once the factory is revived, then there is cane for crushing," said Nabulindo.

Kisumu Governor Anyang Nyong reads the Sugar Industry Stakeholders Conference's resolutions after the two-day event held at Masinde Muliro University. [Benjamin Sakwa, Standard]

Barasa said for factories to have enough raw materials, farmers must be empowered by assisting them with research and cane development.

"We need to have good research so that we can have early maturing varieties to increase our productivity. We cannot be talking about productivity when we are not supporting farmers with varieties that mature quickly and hence enough raw materials for our companies to run efficiently," said Barasa.

"We need to test our soils so that we can have healthy cane varieties." He added.

However, the experts, legislators and stakeholders emphasized ensuring farmers are well catered to in terms of money, cane development subsidised farm inputs and research.

Seme MP James Nyikal called on the national and county governments to collaborate in ensuring farmers are at the centre of the revitalisation of the sector.

"We have to address the issue of farmers being neglected in the value chain where the focus has been on millers, writing off debts and not farmers. We must support our farmers," said Nyikal.