Sugar industry awaits sweet news

Once the mainstay of the western Kenya region, the sugar industry is today a source of endless pain for farmers, who have gone for many months without being paid for their cane deliveries to millers. Sadly, the state-owned millers in this sugarbelt remain a pale shadow of what they used to be.

It is, therefore, hardly surprising that sugarcane farmers and local leaders are up in arms over the alleged smuggling of sugar from Uganda. Cheap smuggled sugar denies them an opportunity to sell theirs. Interestingly, the imports follow the granting of import licences to millers to fill a shortfall.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya is being called upon to address the concerns of the farmers. He must also ensure that the commodity is available to the consumers. But the local sugar industry is in a mess, which is why President Uhuru Kenyatta appointed a task force that recently presented its report to him.

The National Sugar Task Force has made recommendations such as paying farmers promptly. Many wish that could be possible but cane farmers have not been paid for years.

Millers complain about unavailability of cane, which is not surprising as many farmers have abandoned the crop. The report also proposes the reintroduction of the Sugar Development Levy but there are other challenges, including obsolete technology, mismanagement and huge debts. Cash bailouts to several public millers have not borne fruit. It was a case of throwing good money after bad.

There is a lot of work to be done to get the millers running again, including enhancing research into high-yielding and quick-maturing sugarcane varieties and value addition.

Many stakeholders, therefore, eagerly wait to see the commitment to implementing the recommendations to breathe some fresh life into this ailing but potentially rewarding industry.