Sugar cane farmers in Trans Nzoia county have opposed plans to restrict the cultivation of the crop in a region perceived to be Kenya's grain basket owing to the fact that maize farming is largely practised in the area.
They said the county government should encourage diversification instead of restricting them on what should be grown.
Led by Jacob Nasong’o, the farmers said any suggestion banning sugarcane farming in Trans Nzoia is farfetched.
“It will be foolhardy for anyone to suggest that we continue planting maize on farms when in the real sense there is no significant profit. Sugar cane farming in Trans nzoia is here to stay," he said.
Speaking to the Star in Kitale on Saturday, he said it is not a must for maize farmers to plant maize.
“I am already reaping big from my 200 acres of sugarcane. The only advice to the county government of Trans Nzoia and the government of Kenya is to allow diversification of other cash crops," he said.
Individual farmers, he said, had the final say on what to do with their farms.
He asked area leaders to team up with professionals and come up with a plan to start up a sugar milling plant to start producing sugar in the region.
West Kenya Sugar Company invested more than Sh1 billion in cane development largely in Nyanza, Western and parts of the Rift Valley to create a sustainable supply of cane to its factories.
The sugar company has more than 200,000 contracted farmers who are spread across nine counties namely Busia, Kakamega, Bungoma, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Kericho, Kisumu, Vihiga and Nandi
