President William Ruto has given Ksh 150 million bonus to sugar farmers who have been supplying Mumias Sugar factory in Kakamega.
Speaking during the ceremony, the President noted that the historic reward was meant to uplift farmers and support tens of thousand of households.
“With a record 832,000 tonnes of sugar produced last year, Kenya is on course to attaining surplus production and commence regional exports by 2026, turning sugarcane cultivation into a viable and rewarding venture,” he said.
He continued by taking note of the major reforms done in the sugar industry and that they have yielded the much needed results.
The government has already written off a debt of Ksh KSh117 billion which included Ksh 1.7 million to farmers and Ksh 650 million owed to employees.
“We have asked the new Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Mutahi Kagwe, who is here with us today, to finalise regulations to operationalise the Sugar Act to provide clarity and get rid of cartels in the sector,” said Ruto
Also touched by the Head of State was the issuance of affordable fertilizer which did not only increase productivity but also income to the farmers.
“To support this, 50 per cent of the annual rent paid to the bank will be distributed as a bonus to farmers on a pro-rata basis, depending on the quantity of sugarcane each farmer supplies to the miller,” he said
