The Kenya Union of Sugar Plantation Workers (KUSPAW) has opposed the new sugarcane price announced by the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) noting that due process was not been followed.
KUSPAW Secretary General Francis Wangara said that announcement of the reduction of sugar cane prices was illegal.
Speaking in Kisumu, Wangara said that the Agriculture ministry ought to have formed a sugar pricing committee to deliberate the matter.
AFA directed millers to pay farmers Ksh4,950 per tonne down from Ksh5,125 per tonne.
“Following the expiry of the interim Sugar Pricing Committee and in the absence of a Cabinet Secretary to appoint the same, the price of cane per tonne for the month of August is Ksh4,950,” a notice by acting director June Chesire read.
The notice dated August 7 was addressed to sugar millers and copied to the Agriculture PS and AFA director general.
Wangara rejected the new prices, saying that they signal a progressive clawback of the gains achieved by the sector reforms started by the President.
He said the price per tonne of cane was Ksh6,100 when the President announced the reforms in line with the MoU sugar actors signed with the Kenya Kwanza regime. He noted that the prices fell to Ksh5,200 and later to Ksh5,125 and now Ksh4,950.
Wangara said that farmers cannot sell for less than Ksh6,000 and the same cannot be sold at half price.
The union boss castigated the importation of sugar, saying that that should be the last resort after ensuring local millers are unable to produce sugar optimally.
Wangara similarly called for the enactment of the Sugar Act.
He further asked the government to rein in private firms exploiting farmers and workers.
By Fredrick Odiero
Get more stories from our website: Sacco Review.
For comments and clarifications, write to: Saccoreview@
Kindly follow us via our social media pages on Facebook: Sacco Review Newspaper for timely updates
Stay ahead of the pack! Grab the latest Sacco Review newspaper!
