This archive report was first published on 4 July 2020.
On July 3, 2020, the management of West Kenya's Olepito Sugar Factory faced backlash from angry farmers who threatened to block entry of sugarcane from Uganda. The factory's General Manager, Gerald Okoth, denied the claims, stating that the company found it more expensive to import sugarcane from Uganda.
According to Okoth, the factory has not received complaints from contracted farmers over delayed cane collection from the farm. He attributed this to the company's robust cane-development program, which earned AFA's high ranking.
Research conducted by AFA between December 9 and 22, 2019, showed a significant deficit in sugarcane supply for the 2020-21 financial year. The survey revealed that only 6.8 million tonnes of sugarcane would be available against a demand of 9.9 million tonnes, resulting in a deficit of 3.2 million tonnes.
West Kenya has the highest number of hectares (85,000) under cane farming spread across six counties, including Kisumu, Uasin Gishu, Trans Nzoia, Nandi, Kakamega, and Bungoma. The factory's sufficient local supply and robust cane-development program have contributed to its high ranking by AFA.
