ONGIRI: New sugar reforms will boost production, exports

A sneak preview in the local supermarket shelves manifests a hopeful future, with major brands such as Mumias Sugar dominantly back. 

The sweeteners had run into trouble for years with the only remaining semblance being the package, which greedy barons relied on to pack their own imported sucrose that they used to dupe the local buyers.

Thanks to the new strategies by the State Department of Agriculture, Kenya is now producing enough sugar for itself, and in the near future, things could turn around. It could be us looking for extra-boundary markets for our surplus sugars.

The local production has hit the highest level of 83.5 million tonnes per month, a record never attained since the sector was established.

Payment of Sh1.7 billion arrears has boosted farmers' morale, and many who had abandoned the crop are beginning to slowly get back to their old farming ways.

The provision of subsidised fertilisers to sugar farmers and introduction of new cane varieties with shorter maturing period are among key reforms that has got everything working in the sector.

Continuous rain and zoning of the sector to avoid harvesting of premature canes has contributed positively to these achievements. The government’s plans to lease the four sugar factories and payments of employee arrears could be a major catalyser to a great sugar future.

The sugar sub-sector contributes to food security, employment creation, regional development and improved livelihoods for more than eight million Kenyans.

It is a source of income for more than 300,000 small-scale farmers who supply more than 90 per cent of mill cane. The annual production of sugar is about 800,000 MT against a demand of 1,000,000 MT leading to importation of the product.

The Kenya Kwanza agenda on agriculture lays emphasis on sugar production for food security promotion, reduction of sugar imports and growth of the export market. Brown sugar imports recorded 445,662 MT last year.

Currently, there is an increase area under seed cane from 430 acres to more than 12,ooo acres, while area under cane has increased by 12,849 acres. Crop yield from 66.3 Tc/H to 70Tc/H. Current yield is at 67 T/ hectares.

Mid-year sugar production is at 400,000 MT. It is envisaged that the end of this year it will achieve 20 per cent sugar import reduction. This calls for 100 per cent utilisation of our mills with a total rated capacity of 51,450 tonnes cane per day.

From last year performance in the sugar sector the area under cane increased marginally, by 2.67 per cent from 241,448 hectares as December 31, 2022 to 247,887 hectares recorded in the same period 2023. This was majorly due to expansion of cane area in Mumias, Naitiri, Kibos, South Nyanza and Busia catchments.

Industry mean productivity was projected at 66.3 Tc/hectares in 2022, an increase of 4.05 per cent compared with the actual yield of 63.74Tc/hectares realised at the end of 2022. Local sugar production recorded 472,773 MT in 2023, a drastic decline from 796,554 MT produced in 2022.

This was majorly attributed to cane shortage in the industry and closure of mills. Certified seed cane recorded 174 hectares against an industry annual requirement of 4,965 hectares for sustainable production. This was attributed to inadequate funding to KALRO-SRI that is mandated to multiply and distribute seed cane in the industry.

The scrapping off of the Sugar Development Fund has drastically affected cane development to increase acreage under certified seed cane material for increased sugarcane production and reduced importation by 20 per cent.

Farmers grown own seed material, however, there is need to support farmers access certified material of improved sugarcane varieties annually (239,549 MT)

The State Department of Agriculture to provide subsidised fertiliser for planting 4,965 hectares of seed cane.

KALRO-SRI to provide breeders seed and avail certified seed cane, as well as promote adoption of improved varieties in 15 sugarcane growing counties (more than 300,000 farmers)

Implement a data collection system managed by agri-prenuers on sugarcane crop. Revitalise the sugar industry through leasing of five public companies in a bid to enhance efficiency.

Private investors to grow the capacities of the mills and maximise on diversification into cogeneration, production of bioethanol and allied co-products

The other strategy involves capacity building of staff in 15 sugarcane growing counties, where through Agriculture and Food Authority, the training of 450 ward agriculture officers as ToTs who will train 4,500 agri-prenuers on sugarcane crop husbandry has been commissioned. This is the new approach of extension to support farmers in crop husbandry and marketing.

The revamping 450 ward-based sugar cooperative societies in 15 sugarcane growing counties is also in the cards where the State Department of Cooperatives is to train the existing cooperatives and establish new cooperatives on governance issues.

The writer is a chief officer in Homa county