- Farmers ask the Senate not to interfere with Agriculture CS Peter Munya’s reform agenda in the sugar sector.
- CoG is lobbying for enactment of another set of rules that seeks to reintroduce zoning of sugar-growing areas.
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Some farmers from the Western sugar belt have petitioned the Senate to protect them against the imposition of sugar zones.
The farmers from former Nyanza and Western want the House to uphold their freedom to contract with millers of their choice.
In the petition signed by Stephen ole Narupa, Richard Ochieng Ogendo, Charles Atiang Atyang and Saulo Wanambisi Busolo, the farmers have asked the Senate not to interfere with Agriculture CS Peter Munya’s reform agenda for the sugar sector.
They cited last month’s resolution between the Council of Governors and Senate Agriculture committee to shelve the Crops General Regulations 2020 gazetted by the CS over certain issues they want rescinded.
The regulations, which give farmers leeway to engage a miller of their choice, were gazetted on May 27, 2020, by Munya.
They eliminate the contentious zoning of sugar cane-growing areas and give millers a freehand to get sugar cane directly from farmers.
CoG is lobbying for the enactment of another set of rules that seeks to reintroduce zoning of sugar-growing areas.
The petitioners called on Senate to intervene to stop what they termed the works of powerful actors in the sugar industry whom they said are curtailing their freedom to sell their produce to best-paying millers of their choice.
“In the meantime, the suspended implementation of those regulations is adversely affecting the sugar sector and the interests of farmers who continue to be subjected ad hoc policies, directives and decisions by officials of the national government and relevant county governments,” the petition reads.
“We appeal to the Senate to protect farmers against any scheme, policy or regulations seeking to reintroduce sugar-growing zones, which invariably amounts to prohibiting sugar cane farmers from selling their produce to millers of their choice.”
According to the petitioners, contractual farming being fronted in the CoG regulations will not only allow prompt payment of farmers but will also expand the market for the farmers as opposed to being yoked to a particular miller.
The regulations propose creation of a sugar cane pricing committee to regulate the cost of cane.
“We recommend to the Senate to spearhead the drafting of a new legislation to regulate and govern the sugar sector in accordance with the principles of the market economy and freedom to contract under the devolved system of governance underpinned by the 2010 Constitution.”