This archive report was first published on 3 July 2020.
July 3, 2020
Kisumu Governor Anyang' Nyong'o has welcomed the government's ban on sugar imports, expressing hope for the sector's revival.
According to Governor Nyong'o, the ban will allow farmers to return to growing the crop, benefiting farmers, workers, and transporters among other stakeholders.
"The Western Kenya sugar belt will now have an opportunity to achieve its full potential," he said at a press conference at the county headquarters.
The government's decision to lease State-owned sugar mills for 20 years has also been lauded by Governor Nyong'o, who believes it will help increase farmers' incomes and improve competitiveness and services in the sector.
Chief Executive Officer of the Kenya National Alliance of Sugarcane Farmers Organisation (KNASFO), Michael Arum, has called on the government to reinstate the sugar development levy and pump funds into cane development.
"This will enable the country to meet its local demand and export the surplus to neighbouring countries," he said during a press conference in Awasi, Kisumu.
Farmer Andrew Bett from Kericho County has suggested that the money should be channeled through farmers' cooperatives, while Moses Sidigu from Awasi has called for an increase in the price of sugarcane.
Stephen ole Narupa, National Treasurer of the Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers, has asked the government to seal porous border points to ensure no sugar is illegally imported.
