Chemelil Sugar Company has appealed to Kisumu County government to impose economic embargoes on millers from other sugar-belt to address ‘cane poaching’.
The company managing director Charles Owelle said cane poaching has hindered the operations of the company.
Owelle said the situation has been occasioned by the licensing of new private millers, some without their own nucleus estate and cane catchment area.
He urged the county government to impose border taxes to deter poaching of sugarcane developed and established particularly by public owned millers.
“Millers particularly from Western region have invaded our farms, taking cane we have developed by farmers. This should stop but only through imposing embargoes,” claimed Owelle.
Speaking at the company on Tuesday during a tour of the factory, Owelle said the county government also has the capacity to control the flooding of cheap illegal sugar imports into the county.
He said enactment of legislation and imposing of taxes will limit the entry of cheap sugar into the markets.
Owelle further decried poor road network within the sugar belt region which has affected cane deliveries to the factories thus lowering the factory performance.
He said Chemelil has great potential for growth and to equally bridge the national sugar consumption and demand deficit if supported by the county government.
“Provided there is strong legal policy and financial support especially from the government, Chemelil is capable of delivering,” said Owelle.