Despite the sugarcane price climbed to Sh5,200 per tonne from Sh4,000, top sugar millers facing crop shortage, reports Farm Kenya.
The hike in the cane purchase price reflects the failure in the sub-sector as there is hardly any cane left for crushing, as per the Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers (KNFSF) deputy secretary general.
“As the millers are running to purchase cane, this indicates that there is a shortage of the crop. There is no sufficient cane available as most of the millers did not support farmers to grow the crop and they delayed in paying their dues,” he said.
“Government lacks clear laws to support cane farmers and they are frustrated by the millers. Many have given up cane cultivation and are shifting to some other crops,” he added.
West Kenya Sugar, the producer of Kabras Sugar, has offered farmers Sh 5,500 per tonne of sugarcane from the beginning of April which is the highest in the country’s history. Their competitors Mumias Sugar Company and Butali pay Sh 5,250 and Sh5, 200 respectively to the farmers.
