This archive report was first published on 9 June 2020.
Western Kenya's sugar cane farmers are eagerly awaiting the government's budget announcement, hoping it will bring much-needed relief to the ailing sugar sector.
As the region's economic mainstay teeters on the brink of collapse, farmers from Kakamega County are counting on the government to allocate adequate funds for the revival of factories.
Thousands of farmers in the region have been severely impacted by the near collapse of mills, with many relying on sugarcane as their primary source of income.
The Mumias Sugar Company, a debt-ridden miller, stopped operations two years ago, leaving farmers without a vital source of income.
Kenya Commercial Bank placed the miller under receivership, and despite promises to revive operations, the factory remains silent.
Receiver manager Ponangipalli Rao has stated that sugar milling is expected to resume in September, following an inspection by engineers, who have deemed the equipment viable.
However, farmers are skeptical, citing past promises made by the government without any tangible action.
Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers chairman Ibrahim Juma expressed concerns that the government has failed to implement recommendations from the national sugar task force report, which was handed to President Kenyatta.
The federation is calling for proper funding of the sugar sector to revive state-run millers and is advocating for the privatization of collapsed state-run sugar millers as a viable option for their revival.
Private sugar millers are currently buying cane from neighboring Uganda due to the unavailability of raw materials in Kenya, further exacerbating the crisis.
Farmer Richard Ogendo is urging the government not to levy tax on sugarcane, as it is only a raw material, and is advocating for tax collection from retailers and wholesalers instead.
He also hopes that cane outgrowers' companies will receive Sh1 billion for crop development, similar to the support provided to coffee farmers through their cooperatives.
