Governor Anyang’ Nyong’o Issues Statement On The Closure Of Suger Cane Factories In Nyanza Region

Ladies and Gentlemen of the Media, Good afternoon,We have invited you here for a press statement on the current on-goings in the Sugar Industry.

As you are aware, Kisumu is a sugar cane growing County. In fact sugar cane farming is a major economic activity for our population, besides fishing.

In mid-July this year the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) issued a directive, suspending the milling of cane for three months. The Authority cited a biting sugar cane shortage as the reason for their action.

The AFA acting director, Jude Chesire said cane shortage shortage had led to massive cane poaching and harvesting of immature crop. Only mills in Southern Nyanza were spared because they still had some cane.

In view of the above, we wish as a county government to state as follows:

1. That we have noted that government owned sugar millers within the Nyando sugar belt have heeded this call by AFA and suspended their operations.
2. That one privately owned sugar factory has continued to mill and is harvesting sugar across the sugar belt.
3. That l we want to appeal to all sugar millers to obey the directive from AFA. We are saying this because continued milling will result in cane poaching and harvesting of immature cane as the factory strives to meet its milling capacity.
4. That by selling immature cane, the farmers will incur losses because their crop will not attract the expected weight.
5. That AFA should flex its muscle and ensure that the directive to halt cane milling for three months is respected and adhere to for the sake of sustaining a level playing ground.
6. That we ask our farmers to remain patient and persevere within the three months, enable sugar cane mature to help sustain the demands of the millers”. Said

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by: Newsprime