Sugar cane farmers protest exploitation by private millers

NANDI, KENYA: Sugarcane farmers in Chemase area in Nandi County have decried exploitation by private millers who are offering low prices for their yields.

The cane farmers claimed that the private factory was paying them Sh. 2,500 per tonne against the market price of Sh. 3,500.

The irritated farmers staged a demonstration to one of the private milling companies on Monday in an attempt to meet the managers but were turned away by security guards who told them that there was no one to address them.

Chemase Sugarcane Farmers Union chairman Mr Thomas Choge expressed disappointment with the Government saying that it was doing nothing to safeguard farmers.

"Why should the miller buy our produce at a lower price than other companies? Why does the Government watch helplessly as we are being exploited?" Choge posed.

Choge said that they were supplying the commodity to the private factory because it was accessible and cost effective to the farmers adding that the miller should not take advantage of their loyalty to exploit them.

"We have always been supplying our produce to the factory because it is near and we have not had issues with the industry in the past. We were hoping that our predicament will be addressed by the management as we had been promised only to realise that we were tricked," said Choge.

The bitter farmers called on the Government to intervene and shield them from exploitation by regulating the price of the produce.

"The national and the county government should play their role of protecting farmers from exploitation by millers. The market price should apply in all factories," Choge said.

Kenya Union of Sugar Plantation and Allied Workers Union (KUSPAWU) National Vice Chairman Mr Michael Gombe Ochieng said that his office had received complaints and would seek government's intervention.

"The issues are extremely serious. The farmers are losing a lot of money to the miller through unjustified deductions. If the government does not intervene we shall hold a series of demonstrations and advise farmers to strike until justice is served," said Ochieng.

Nandi County Executive Committee (CEC) for Agriculture Ms Mary Ng'elechei could not answer phone calls but she had earlier indicated that the County Government was willing to address issues faced by the farmers in the region.