Nyando cane farmers oppose push to reopen weighbridges
Cane farmers in the Nyando sugar belt oppose the reopening of sugarcane weighbridges closed by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA). Farmers, led by Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers Secretary Killion Osur, insist that millers should set up facilities in their designated regions, as per the task force report and AFA guidelines. They warn that allowing outside millers to collect cane could lead to shortages, causing local factories to close. AFA Director Samuel Ong’ow confirms that the decision was made after consultations with stakeholders to bring order to the industry.
Cane farmers from the Nyando sugar belt have opposed the push by some farmers to have sugarcane weighbridges reopened.
The weighbridges were closed by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA).
According to the farmers, there was a clear agreement on the establishment of weighbridges in the sugar sector which was to be some in every region where the factories are based a practice commonly known as regional zoning.
Led by Kenya National Federation of Sugarcane Farmers Secretary Muhoroni branch Killion Osur, they insisted that the closed weighbridges must remain shut.
Osuri said that the millers should set up such facilities within their respective areas.
He noted that the task force report was very clear on regional zoning and divided the country into five regions.
“Millers must operate within their designated regions as guided by AFA,” he said.
He added: “If we allow the poachers to come now, within three weeks there will be no cane, it means we will close down the mills, their will be suffering ,the employees will not be paid. So we are saying no to opening weighbridges in the area”.
His sentiments were echoed by the chairman of transporters in Muhoroni Edward Onyango.
Onyango emphasised that the mills around Nyando can process the Sugarcane they produce.
He warned that allowing millers from outside the region to collect cane could lead to shortages which will potentially cause local factories to close due to lack of enough cane to crush.
AFA Director Samuel Ong’ow noted that the decision to have millers shut done the weighbridges was meant to bring order to the industry.
Ong’ow noted that the decision to have the millers shut down such weighbridges was made after wide consultation with stakeholders within the sector.
“We are aware that two millers were affected, Kibos Sugar which closed their five weighbridges because of the agreement. We are also aware that West Kenya has also closed three”, he said.
The AFA Director noted that they agreed and are still encouraging as a board that the millers need to operate within those particular regions.
“We are happy that the current Sugar Bill under mediation between the Senate and the National Assembly is also going to formalize the same regions though they are being called catchments areas within that particular bill “.
Source Link : https://www.the-star.co.ke/news/2024-07-17-nyando-cane-farmers-oppose-push-to-reopen-weighbridges/
