SUGARCANE FARMERS ASK FOR QUICKER CANE TRANSPORTATION

Jul 30, 2015 Editor Kisumu News Kisumu, National, News, Regional 0

Sugarcane farmers in the sugar belt region have faulted Kibos Sugar Company over late transportation of harvested canes from other areas while living theirs to dry up in the farmers.

The farmers said their canes which were harvested two weeks ago is yet to be collected for crushing making them to incur huge losses since dry cane weigh less as oppose to when harvested.

More than 50 farmers led by Mike Okwaro said their canes are drying in farms despite attempts to have them transported to the factory.

Most of the affected farmers are from Alungo plantation in Ombeyi ward where over 20 acres of canes was cut two weeks ago.

Speaking to the press today in Muhoroni Town, Okwaro said currently Kibos is paying Sh3, 000 per tone of canes delivered to the factory and don’t account for the cane spillage during transportation to the factory thus burdens farmers by big loss .

Okwaro said that due to delay of transportation, farmers will earn low because their canes will weigh less since they have started to dry up.

Canes dry up in the farms as well as during the transportation to the factory they incurs another loss by cane spillage which the company don not want to account for.

The farmers want Kisumu Governor Jack Ranguma to intervene and have other factories help crush sugarcane from Muhoroni and Chemelil sugar belts.

Okwaro said other firm should be authorized to outsource sugarcane because if Chemelil, Muhoroni and Kibos cannot crush harvested canes on time then they should be compelled to pay the dry canes that they have harvested and not transported to the factory for crashing.

He added that harvested cane must reach the factories within three days to avoid wastage and ask the county assembly to come up with the by-laws that will compel the millers to weigh the canes in the firm to avoid big loss by the farmers