Posted on April, 30, 2019 at 10:29 am
Farmers have asked Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri to make public findings of a task force appointed to look into ways of addressing challenges facing the sugar sub-sector.
The CS co-chaired the team with Kakamega governor Wycliff Oparanya. Other members included Migori governor Okoth Obado and his Kisumu counterpart Anyang' Nyong'o.
Three farmers' organisation accused the CS of taking long to release the report.
The task force went around sugar cane growing parts of the country collecting farmers' views on revival of the sector.
Kenya National Sugarcane Growers Union secretary general Richard Ogendo and Kenya National Alliance of Sugarcane Farmers chairman Saul Busolo said their members are eager to know what the team's findings are.
Ogendo said farmers are still opposed to zoning of millers, an idea his accused unnamed government officials of pushing for their own selfish interests.
"We are opposed to zoning as it is not provided for in law. It is a dangerous in a free market such as Kenya's. We hope the team has addressed this matter," he said.
He accused technocrats at Kilomo House of working hard to ensure every product operates within zones a move he said will collapse the sector putting the livelihood of over 10 million people on the line and hit the economy.
The Government had planned to introduce zoning to address sugarcane rampant poaching.
Zoning ensures sugar factories only buy cane from farmers they have contracted and whose crop they have helped to develop.
Busolo accused the Government of overlooking their opposition to zoning which he said will affect the market for their members.
"We may be forced to move to court of the Government or anyone else insists on zoning," said Busolo.
He added: "We have rejected zoning but it appears some people would hear none of it. In this case, courts remain our option."
The team was formed in November last year following a directive by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
He also directed the Ministry of Agriculture and Treasury to put in place a framework of paying farmers their Sh2.6 billion arrears owed by public millers.
Secretary-general of the Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers Charles Atyang said farmers have rejected zoning and no one should force it on them.
Source: Standard Digital