Why Rai Group wants more farmers to embrace cane production

Local sugar producer, Rai Group, wants more farmers — especially those in the sugar belt — to embrace cane production.

Rai Group of Companies head of external affairs and communications George Muruli said the involvement of more farmers will translate to a more stable sugar sector resulting from steady sugarcane supply to millers.

His statement comes less than a month after stakeholders in the industry called on the national government to urgently convene a national sugar conference to address issues affecting the sector as millers continue to grapple with limited raw material supplies.

“More sugarcane will mean steady supply of cane to millers. With abundant supplies, end consumers can also enjoy low end product prices,” Muruli said.

He was speaking at an event where he led a team from West Kenya Sugar Company to donate food items to the elderly in Mundika, Busia.

The donations, which included sugar, washing soap, baking flour, rice and tissue paper, form a part of the company’s corporate social responsibility. West Kenya is part of Rai.

Last month, the Kenya National Chamber of Commerce raised concern over delayed convention of a conference expected to address sugar sector woes.

The agency said it had taken almost 18 years since the last conference was convened, adding that the event will enable stakeholders in the industry to converge and give direction on the management of the sector.

The organisation said that currently, the economy of sugarcane growing zones was underperforming as some businesses had collapsed because of the mismanagement of the sugar industry.

The sugar sector sustains close to 7.2 million livelihoods in the country.

Muruli said with millers like West Kenya continuing to roar, the country will continue to receive rising sugar production for both local consumption and export.

More farmers, he said, should list as producers under the company for better yield pricing.

Muruli was accompanied at the event by West Kenya deputy communications manager Ignatius Odanga and the company’s rugby team, led by coach Edwin Achayo.

Achayo called on well-wishers to emulate West Kenya and extend aid to the elderly housed at Mundika Catholic Parish.

The centre’s manager, Sister Beatrice Odinyu, said the elders face diverse challenges, including inadequate food, insufficient accommodation, insecurity and unavailability of committed healthcare givers, to attend to the more than 60-year-olds 16 women and four men at the centre.

The elders’ representatives, Christine Nyongesa, Maryann Nekesa and James Ombei, called on the county government to avail a team of health experts to attend to those admitted to the centre since the elders have different medical complications which are expensive to treat.