Kenya is set to revive sugarcane farming in Kericho County. The County Government has stepped up the efforts by entering into a Public-Private Partnership initiative in establishing a sugar mill.
According to the Kericho County Executive Committee Member (CECM)-In-Charge of Agriculture, Mr.Phillip Mason, sugarcane farmers in the County have for many years incurred high costs of cane transportation to millers domiciled outside the County as farmers have been taking their cane to Muhoroni Sugar Mill, which he says is far and caters for a larger number of farmers hence delayed cane harvesting.
The only factory in the County, Soin mill, collapsed eight years ago. Mason also noted that the high transportation charges eat into the dues sugarcane farmers are paid by the millers, making it a less profitable venture and to remedy this, he says that the County Government has invited investors to put up a sugar mill especially in Soin-Sigowet Sub-County, where sugarcane farming is majorly practiced.
“Currently, there are about two such investors who have shown a lot of interest in putting up a sugar mill, which will come in handy for the farmers who have for long suffered high cost of transporting their produce to millers, in neighboring counties,” said Mason.
Mason has assured that the County Government of Kericho will continue to provide an enabling environment for investors in the agricultural sector, stressing that it is a significant backbone of the County’s economy.
Terms of farm inputs subsidies
He has also promised the sugarcane farmers that the County Government will also give incentives in terms of farm inputs subsidies, to increase their production, so that the upcoming mill will have a constant supply of raw materials.
“Road and water infrastructure are currently being improved to ease transport of cane to the mill and optimize mill operations,” said Mason.
Sugarcane is the third important cash crop grown in the County after tea and coffee. It is grown in four Sub-Counties of Soin/Sigowet, Kipkelion West, Belgut, and Ainamoi. Soin /Sigowet Sub-County is the major sugarcane growing area in the County with approximately 6,000 Ha under the crop, in all four Wards, Soin-Sigowet, Kaplelartet, and Soliat.
Kipkelion West Sub-County follows with an area of approximately 1,053 Ha under the crop in Chilchila, Kunyak and Kipkelion Wards. Belgut is next with approximately 252 Ha with the crop in Waldai Ward as Ainamoi Sub-county has approximately 37 Ha in Ainamoi and Kapsoit Wards. This brings the total area under sugarcane in the County to an estimate of 7,342 Ha.
According to the County Agriculture CEC, the sugarcane planted comprises of the old varieties such as CO421 and CO617, which are low-yielding and have low sucrose content and take 18 to 24 months to mature, which is too long, therefore, only a single harvest can be done per plot in two years.
“The average yield per hectare is approximately 47T. The County harvests approximately 172,537 T annually, which translates to Sh569,372,100.00 earnings to sugarcane farmers,” Mr. Mason said.
