A section of sugarcane farmers from Western Kenya have welcomed the latest directive by the government to stop sugar imports, terming it as an important step towards reviving local industry and improving earnings.
The farmers in Lugari Sub-County, Kakamega County, asserted that imported sugar had for long undermined locally produced sugar by creating unfair competition for local millers, a situation they said affected cane purchases and sustainability of the sector.
Robert Maindi, a sugarcane farmer in Lugari, said the influx of imported sugar had made it difficult for local millers to maintain a reliable market for their product.
“When cheap imported sugar enters the market, locally produced sugar struggles to compete. This eventually affects us because the millers depend on sales to pay farmers and sustain their operations,” Maindi said.
Maindi said farmers needed assurance that increased demand for locally produced sugar would translate into timely harvesting and payment for their cane
Another farmer, Juliet Achievi, said sugarcane farming had become less attractive due to production costs, delayed payments and uncertainty over the market.
The mother of three said protecting the local sugar industry would encourage farmers to continue investing in cane production.
“We want a stable market for our cane. If local factories have enough market for their sugar, farmers will also have confidence that our cane will be bought and paid for on time,” Achievi said.
Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary, Mutahi Kagwe, last week directed the Kenya Sugar Board to stop issuing new licenses for sugar imports, saying the country has attained sufficient domestic production to meet her needs.
Kagwe said Kenya had, for the first time, produced enough sugar to satisfy domestic demand and that the Government would protect local farmers and millers from disruption caused by imports.
The CS said the Government’s long-term goal was to transform Kenya from a sugar-importing country into a net exporter by increasing local production and improving the efficiency of the industry.
The farmers said a stronger domestic sugar industry would benefit not only cane growers but also workers, transporters, traders and other businesses that depend on the sector.
They hoped the latest reforms will restore confidence in sugarcane farming and enable growers in Lugari and other parts of the country to earn decent incomes from their crop.
