Sugarcane farmers have raised concerns over a proposed reduction in cane prices, describing the move as harmful to their livelihoods.
Speaking to the media in Kisumu, Kenya Sugarcane Growers Association (KESGA) Secretary General Richard Ogendo alleged millers are planning to lower the price of sugarcane from Sh5,750 per tonne to Sh4,800, a move he described as unjustified.
“We are currently being paid Sh5,750, and there are plans to reduce it to Sh4,800. In our view, this is not warranted,” Ogendo said.
He argued that millers have enjoyed significant profits over the past two years, running into billions of shillings, yet farmers continue to struggle.
According to Ogendo, the companies have not invested sufficiently in local communities despite operating in those areas.
He claimed they do not build roads, do not support social amenities and contribute very little to local economies apart from offering employment
Ogendo warned that the proposed price cut undermines the government’s bottom-up economic agenda, which seeks to uplift ordinary Kenyans.
“We cannot allow people to make profits at the expense of farmers. This goes against the spirit of improving livelihoods,” he added.
The farmers now plan to petition Parliament next week with a signature collection exercise already underway.
Among their key demands is the inclusion of by-products such as molasses as part of farmers’ shareable profits.
They argue that millers use molasses to generate electricity and support industrial operations, yet farmers do not benefit from these additional revenue streams.
“In a nutshell, we are asking the President to intervene because his agenda is being derailed,” Ogendo said.
His sentiments were echoed by Michael Arum, Coordinator of the Sugar Campaign for Change (SUCAM), who faulted the lack of consultation in the proposed price adjustments.
“Farmers were not consulted. The cost of producing a tonne of sugarcane is already high, leaving very little or no profit under the current pricing,” Arum said.
He noted that reducing prices further would push farmers deeper into losses, especially at a time when sugar prices in the market remain high.
“It is not possible for farmers to absorb further reductions when production costs remain high, and market prices for sugar have not dropped,” he added.
Arum also said some millers are engaging in sugar importation, which he said floods the market and creates artificial pressure to suppress cane prices.
The leaders warned that if their concerns are not addressed, they may call on consumers to boycott sugar purchases in solidarity with farmers.