Sugar industry in Kenya is on the mend as demonstrated by the remarkable progress made after four previously dormant mills resumed milling barely six months after their leasing to bolster the sector that wobbling.

Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh said that Chemelil, Sony, Nzoia and Muhoroni Sugar factories have all started crashing cane. The development, he noted, marks a key milestone in the government’s efforts to revive an industry crippled by poor management, mounting debt and chronic delays in paying farmers.

Ronoh made the remarks during tour of Chemelil Sugar Factory and described the progress as a major boost to farmers and the wider economy.

“The revival of Chemelil and the other mills confirms that the government’s plan to revive the sugar sector is taking shape,” he said, noting that the industry plays a pivotal role in supporting rural livelihoods and economies.

Chemelil mill, now under the management of the Chatthe Group, is currently running at about half of its installed capacity, with plans to scale up to full production of approximately 3,500 metric tonnes of cane per day.

According to the principal secretary the rebound to milling has already delivered tangible benefits to farmers, particularly in improved and predictable payments.

“Farmers are now being paid every seven days and are earning up to Ksh5,750 per tonne, the highest returns they have ever received,” he said. He pointed out that the rebound marks a shift from the past when payments were delayed for months.

The government has also directed all the private millers to prepare a five-year blueprint aimed at positioning Kenya to meet its own sugar demand and reduce reliance on imports. He acknowledged that limited cane supply remains a major obstacle to sustained production.

To close this gap, the Kenya Sugar Research Institute has been mandated to introduce 27 improved cane varieties that mature faster, yield more and adapt to changing climate conditions.

The principal secretary explained that cane farmers will receive training and technical assistance to increase output and minimize losses linked to old cane varieties.

“You will be seeing a lot of engagement of farmers in terms of capacity building, enrolment of more farmers as well as more engagement between the farmers and the millers,” he said.

Ronoh expressed concerns over rampant cane poaching, destruction of crops by arsonists and the tampering with weighing machines – practices that have long undermined farmer incomes. He said government teams have been deployed to ensure weighing equipment is properly calibrated, while security agencies are working with task forces to protect cane farms from theft and arson.

“We have teamed up and established a taskforce with the police unit to be monitoring and protecting the cane in the farms so that farmers do not lose cane because of arsonists who normally burn the cane plantations,” the principal secretary stated.

He warned individuals involved in illegal sugar imports, saying the government has intensified border surveillance and enforcement measures to curb smuggling.

“The government remains committed to safeguarding this sector and restoring it to stability,” Ronoh said, adding that progress recorded so far at the four mills is encouraging.

• A Tell Media / KNA report / By Robert Ojwang’