Tough year ahead for sugar millers due to cane scarcity

The sugar industry is likely to face tough times next year due to a shortage of cane.
A report by the Kenya Sugar Board indicates there will be an 18 per cent cane deficit.
According to the report, 5,707,483 tonnes of cane will be available for crushing against a demand of 6,958,483.73 tonnes for 2010/2011 period.

A survey carried out in the western sugar zone comprising Mumias, Busia, West Kenya and Butali, showed an average cane yield of 66.51 tonnes of cane per hectare.

The report says the West Kenya sugar zone could be had hit by the shortage due to an eight per cent decline in cane yields.

Some 2,630,800 tonnes of cane are available for crushing in the zone for 2009/2010 but next year is projected to be a difficult one for the millers due to the shortage.

The report has recommended that boundaries for each sugar zone be clearly defined to minimise disputes among millers over poaching of cane.

According to the report, the Sony sugar belt would have favourable cane supply compared to the other sugar zones.

In Bungoma East District, a group of cane farmers have accused the management of the Nzoia Sugar Company of using the Administration Police officers to harass them and impound their cane in transit to a miller.

The farmers from Ndivisi, Tongaren, Ndalu and Kiminini said they were free to deliver their cane to a miller of their choice since they were not contracted to Nzoia Sugar Company and “owed the miller nothing”.

source: nation