Cane growers grope in the dark on sale of millers
Sugarcane farmers are groping in the dark over what the future looks like amid raging war of words on privatisation of State owned mills. FILE PHOTO | NMG
What you need to know:
- Despite being stakeholders in the sector, growers have not adequately been involved in the process.
- Secretary General of the Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers Association Ezra Okoth said the organisation is coming up with forums targeting farmers over sale of the companies to help farmers understand the process.
- Mr Okoth said farmers are facing challenges in accordance with the millers serving them, and therefore it was not in order to lump their woes together.
Sugarcane farmers are groping in the dark over what the future looks like amid raging war of words on privatisation of State owned mills.
Despite being stakeholders in the sector, growers have not adequately been involved in the process.
It is this uncertainty that has made leadership of farmers in western Kenya to begin grassroots meetings with sugarcane producers over the sale of the five sugar mills.
Secretary General of the Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers Association Ezra Okoth said the organisation is coming up with forums targeting farmers over sale of the companies to help farmers understand the process.
“We have launched grassroots meetings to meet sugarcane farmers in a bid to make them learn the intended privatisation of the sugarcane mills by the government,” said Mr Okoth.
Mr Okoth said farmers are facing challenges in accordance with the millers serving them, and therefore it was not in order to lump their woes together.
“Sugarcane farmers have different problems according to each of the five millers to be privatised,” said Mr Okoth.
Awendo MP Walter Sirawa said leaders from the region had asked the government to halt the process until all stakeholders in the sugarcane sector reach an agreement.
“We had asked the government to stop their plans to privatise the millers until all the stakeholders in the sugar sector are satisfied with the process,” said Mr Sirawa.
He said the process can be devoid of conflicts if farmers are told how they stand to benefit or lose after the process. “Sugarcane farmers are worried over the privatisation and they would like to be told how the process is going to affect them,” he observed.
Governors and the government have formed an intergovernmental committee to oversee sale.
Chairman of Agriculture Committee in the Council of Governors Okoth Obado said the aim of the team shall be to ensure that all stakeholders are involved.
“We want to ensure that all stakeholders are satisfied with the privatisation of the sugar millers in the country to create market stability in the country,” said Mr Obado.
Mr Obado’s statement comes in the wake of calls by the Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers Association on the government to train sugarcane farmers on what is at stake.
David Okello,a large scale sugarcane farmer in Songhor in Muhoroni argues that farmers in the ector shoud be be categorised into two; “There are people who leased farms and thereafter joined outgrower bodies for the sole purpose of buying shares during privatisation. Its important to ensure original owners are not disenfranchised,” said Mr Okello.
According to him, most farmers affected by the sale are in “financial rut “for mistakes which are not of their own making. “All bidders should visit the factories to assess the state of repair and thereafter be in a position to state earliest time for rehabilitation,” he says.
According to farmers who spoke to Smart Company, if Sugar Development Levy is not restored investors must show financial muscle to develop own nuclear estates.
