Cane growers hope for a sweeter year

Sugarcane growers were on Thursday optimistic that this year’s Budget would address their grievances following their shattered hopes last year.

In an interview with Nation in Mumias on Thursday, farmers said they expected Finance minister Uhuru Kenyatta to allocate adequate funding for farm inputs and the Sugar Development Fund kitty.

The Mumias Sugar Cane Farmers Association chief executive, Mr Simon Wesechere, said that growers were unhappy that the Sh1 billion allocated to the Sugar Development Fund in the last financial year never got to them.

“We met Kenya Sugar Board officials last week and they claimed that they never received the money,” he said.

Defeat the purpose

Mr Wesechere said growers should be involved in the disbursement of the money “because it is the grower, and not the board, that should be benefiting from the kitty”.

He said in the past, the board has channelled sugar development funds towards expansion of sugar mills. “If the money is given to milling companies, it will defeat the purpose of the fund because cane production will go down,” he said.

Mr Wesechere said expensive farm inputs were the main hindrance to cane production and added that the government must address the issue.

“A 50kg bag of fertiliser, at a cost of Sh6,000, is way too expensive for growers,” he said.

He also urged the government to protect farmers against exploitation by millers by ensuring that their profits are commensurate with what the farmers earn from their crop.