Draft sugar regulations left out our input, farmers claim

Farmers from Nyando sugar belt have taken issue with recently gazetted Draft Sugar Regulations, saying their input is not reflected in the policy document aimed at restoring order in the sector.

Representatives of farmers from Nandi, Kisumu and Kericho sugar growing zones yesterday submitted to the Ministry of Agriculture a list of amendments they want made to the document, which had been lying in draft form since 2001.

They want some clauses changed including those on creation of sugarcane command zones, restricted establishment of new millers, the re-introduced sugar development levy as well as the stalled privatisation process.

“Farmers were not fully involved in the drafting of the regulations and unless the issues raised herein are accommodated, the document should be referred back to farmers for public participation,” said the farmers in the petition.

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The appeal was signed by representatives of Muhoroni Multipurpose and Kisumu Sugarbelt Co-operative unions, Atyang’ Atiang and Tedman Kobilla.

The farmers say creation of command sugar zones, which binds both contracted and private farmers in a specific area to specific millers, is not in line with a liberalised economy.

Infringe on rights

“We are strongly against these clauses since they will infringe on the rights of sugarcane farmers to enjoy freedom of developing, marinating and harvesting their cane to the miller of their choice without being censored, since nearly 90 per cent of them are private farmers,” read the petition.

Citing a Kakamega High Court ruling which outlawed restriction of a miller from another’s zone, the farmers want the introduction of milling zones lifted to allow new entrants into the industry.

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