Sugarcane farmers in Western Kenya have faulted a decision by the national government to limit the number of sugar millers that they can supply their cane to. Mr Charles Atiang’, deputy national chairman of the Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers said the move will deprive farmers the right to benefit from better paying millers. The Agriculture Fisheries and Food Authority (AFFA) had directed sugar millers to sign contracts with the farmers on cane prices, a move the growers have said will confine them to companies within their zones. Currently cane prices range between Sh4,200 and Sh3,000 per tonne. “Growers signing contracts with millers is a deprivation of the right to sell farm produce to better paying millers. The only way to curb poaching is to streamline payment duration and prices for each tonne in all millers,” Mr Atiang’ said on phone. He said some millers might not honor contracts as market prices for the comodity keep fluctuating. He says singing contracts at a specified price might spark a crisis in the sector given that millers would at times incur losses resulting from unfavourable sugar market behavior. He added that farmers expect better pay per tonne in favourable market trends as millers are bound to make profits. Mr Atiang' has said farmers opt to sell sugarcane beyond their zones due to better pay terms that have been termed as poaching of the sweeterner. He has called on the Sugar board to allow farmers freely operate to ensure that millers compete for the product through better pay. "If farmers are allowed to freely harvest canes,millers will seek to pay better and attract more of the farmers as opposed to signing contracts that will monopolize sugarcane millers in their zones." Said Atiang'. He has urged the licencing board to evaluate cane productivity of regions and miller capacity before licensing any operation within zones as some licensed millers lacked the capacity to process all farm produce in their zones. He said this has forced farmers to seek other millers' help to avoid delayed harvest that makes them incur losses. " When there is cane scarcity,millers harvest premature canes.Similarly, plenty of the canes overpower miller capacities prompting poaching.This allows growers take care of the ratoon that has higher productivity compared to initial harvests."He added. He said the intended contracts will have farmers committ their canes to millers that might pelt then to losess for delayed harvest and inability to pay. He said Muhoroni,Miwani,Chemilil,Sony and Nsoia sugar still owed farmers more than 59 billion ajd it was difficult for farmers to trust their sugarcane with the millers with a binding contract.
PHOTO: The Deputy national chairman of the Kenya National Federation of Sugar Cane Farmers Charles Atiang’ Atiang’ addressing the media in Kisumu in April where he appealed to the government to help in waiving off the Sh59 billion debt owed by the five state owned sugar millers before privatising them.[DICKSON ODHIMABO/hivisasa.com]