This archive report was first published on 6 August 2020.
On August 6, 2020, the Kenya Sugar Manufacturers Association (KESMA) urged the government to lift the ban on importing cane, which has led to a severe supply shortage affecting most millers.
Chairman of KESMA, Jayanti Patel, stated that one of their member millers, Busia Sugar Industries, has been heavily impacted by the shortage due to insufficient sugarcane farming in their area.
Busia Sugar Industry had previously issued a notice to lay off hundreds of employees due to crippled operations caused by the ban.
Patel wrote a letter to CS Agriculture Peter Munya and Kakamega Governor Wycliffe Oparanya, requesting the lifting of the ban on importing row cane for milling to supplement their sources and maintain their milling capacity.
Patel emphasized that lifting the ban on importing cane from Uganda would not cause any conflict of interest, as the local supply is currently insufficient.
He added that the situation is temporary, and once enough sugarcane is developed and available, importation will be unnecessary.
Meanwhile, the Western Development Initiative Association (WEDIA), a sugar farmers' lobby group, noted that the little cane available is on low-lying lands, making harvesting problematic.
WEDIA chairman Joseph Barasa encouraged farmers to plant more cane, as cane from outside can only be allowed in when there is a scarcity of raw material.
