NAIROBI, Kenya, July 18 – Cane farmers in the Nyando sugar belt have opposed the push to have sugarcane weighbridges, which had been closed by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), reopened.
A section of farmers have called on AFA to allow the weighbridges to operate.
However, farmers within the belt noted that there was a clear agreement on setting up of weighbridges in the sugar sector, which was to be done in every region where sugar factories are based, commonly known as regional zoning.
Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers Muhoroni branch Secretary Killion Osur says the weighbridges that were closed must remain shut until the millers set up the same within their jurisdictions.
“Let millers open weighbridges within their jurisdictions, and not to open them everywhere,” he said.
Osur says the sugar task force report was very clear on regional zoning and divided the country into five regions and that millers must just operate within their regions as also guided by AFA.
“If the millers are allowed to operate these weighbridges anywhere, then other millers will run out of the raw materials,” he said.
Speaking to the press after a farmers meeting in Chemelil, Osur says millers must keep to their areas and harvest cane within their reach and termed the establishment of weighbridges anyhow as a form of poaching.
“We are telling West Kenya sugar mill to restrict collection of cane to their area, and so to Kibos Sugar Factory,” he said.
He noted that Kibos has already stopped the operation of weighbridges outside its jurisdiction.
Cane transporters within the belt say the mills around Nyando have the capacity to consume the sugarcane they produce.
They decry losing out on transporting cane to the mills within the belt if other millers from outside are allowed to operationalize weighbridges within the belt.
“They will transport all the cane outside the belt and that will lock out our transporters from business,” said Edward Onyango, chairman of Muhoroni Transporters.
However, Samuel Ong’ow, who is AFA Director, says the decision to have millers shut down the weighbridges was made after wide consultation from stakeholders in the sector and was meant to bring order to the industry.
Ong’ow says two millers, Kibos and West Kenya, were the most affected by the closer of the weighbridges.
“Kibos has closed 5, West Kenya has closed 3 and we have agreed that every milker must stick to its area,” he said.
He further noted that the current Sugar Bill, which is before the Senate, will formalize the arrangement.
