- Last year, the Agriculture and Food Authority temporarily closed sugar factories for four months due to lack of mature cane
- Upon resumption of operations, the factories were ordered to grow the crop
Image: FILE
West Kenya sugar company has set aside Sh1.2 billion for expansion of cane production in 10 counties.
Kakamega, Busia, Bungoma, Siaya, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu and Vihiga are some of the counties earmarked for the project.
Oscar Shiverenje from West Kenya Sugar’s Agriculture department said the company has invested in farmers through support programmes.
Land preparation, supply of quality seedcane, provision of subsidised fertiliser and extension services to help farmers record maximum yields are some of the programmes.
Shiverenje said last year the company contracted and developed 33,000 new acreages, an increase from 2022 that had 28,000 new acres.
He said they are looking to increase the acreage this year and also target more farmers for cane development.
“All our activities are in line with the national government’s economic model of bottom up. There are many farmers with lands but cannot grow sugarcane because of the high cost,” said Shiverenje.
He spoke during the Kakamega International Investment Conference at Masinde Muliro University of Science and Technology.
The four-day conference, themed, Opening up counties as the new frontiers for investment and development, started on Tuesday.
The focus areas include agriculture and value addition, social development, health care, water, environment and climate change.
The conference was organised by the national and county governments, the Kakamega County Investment and Development Agency and other partners.
Shiverenje said last year, West Kenya Sugar Company spent about Sh900 million on cane production.
This investment was to guarantee factories and local sugar industry sufficient raw materials for milling.
The company's three factories include, Kabras Sugar in Kakamega, Naitiri Sugar in Bungoma and Olepito Sugar in Busia.
Shiverenje said they help farmers in land preparation, supply seedcane and provide (planting and top dressing) fertiliser at a subsidised rate.
“We believe that when farmers are supported, the industry is assured of sufficient raw materials for milling. The surest way to make the local sugar sector stable is by millers investing hugely in cane development by working closely with outgrowers,” he said.
Chrispinus Wamoyo, a farmer, urged other millers to emulate West Kenya Sugar Company and support the farmers in cane development.
“It is very expensive to grow sugarcane but we are glad that some of us have received support and grown the crop,” he said.
Last year, the Agriculture and Food Authority temporarily closed sugar factories for four months due to lack of mature cane.
Upon resumption of operations, the factories were ordered to grow the crop.
However, some factories have been put on the spot for not growing sugarcane but harvesting canes grown by other millers.
Last year, AFA said sugarcane milled in 2022 increased by 13.5 per cent.
It attributed the increase to improved sugarcane supply in all sugar zones.
Total area under sugarcane as at 31st December 2022 was 242,508 Hactares (599250.318 acres), up from from 223,006 Hactares (551059.827) recorded in the same period in 2021.
The area under sugarcane was spread across 14 counties among them Kakamega, Bungoma, Kisumu, Narok, Busia, Nandi, Homa Bay, Kericho, Migori, Trans Nzoia, Kwale, Uasin Gishu, Kisii and Siaya.
AFA report says the increase in acreage is notable in Kakamega, Busia and Migori counties.
Kakamega, Bungoma, Kisumu and Narok counties had the largest area under sugarcane at 23.7, 16.97, 11.32 and 7.92 per cent.
The total number of contracted farmers involved in sugarcane growing in 2022 was 292,586, up from 262,667 in 2021.
The Sugar industry has 16 sugar factories namely, Chemelil, Muhoroni, Nzoia, South Nyanza, Soin, Miwani, West Kenya, Mumias, Olepito, Busia, Butali, Kibos, Sukari, Transmara, Naitiri and Kwale.
The 796,554 tonnes of sugar produced in 2022 was the highest ever recorded in the sector.
This was 14 per cent higher than 700,241 tonnes realised in 2021.
The increase is attributed to improved sugarcane supply in all sugar zones and the coming into operations of the Naitiri and Mumias sugar mills.
In 2022, six sugar companies recorded a decline in sugar production.
Chemelil recorded 16,697 tonnes from 21,681 tonnes in 2021, Nzoia recorded 12,926 tonnes from 21,015 tonnes, West Kenya had 174,671 tonnes from 188,802 tonnes.
Others are Transmara recorded 93,670 tonnes from 107,233 tonnes, Sukari 90,939 tonnes from 96,156 tonnes, Olepito at 11,691 tonnes from 15,741 tonnes and Busia at 37,609 tonnes from 48,003 tonnes in 2021.
AFA said although, West Kenya had a decline in production, it was still the leading producer with 174,671 tonnes.
Other leading producers in order of performance were Butali , Kibos, Transmara, Sukari and Naitiri.