Government appoints nine-member team to set sugarcane prices

The Ministry of Agriculture has appointed a nine-member team to lead the Interim Sugarcane Pricing Committee. 

The sugarcane price review by the team will be based on sucrose content. One of the team's roles is to develop pricing mechanisms. 

The gazettement of Crops Regulations 2020 on May 27th last year by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya was followed by the establishment of the Sugarcane Pricing Committee. 

The proposed interim committee will be in charge of reviewing of sugarcane prices which shall be determined on the basis of sucrose content, as per the reference terms. 

It will oversee the implementation of the Cane Testing Services and develop a pricing mechanism and appropriation of proceeds to ensure equitable returns to growers and millers.

However, the government awaits the outcome of a petition in Bungoma, where a section of industry players are challenging the Crops Regulations. Therefore, the fate of the committee is still unclear. 

Charged to execute its mandate for a period of six months, the nine-member committee has voting rights and powers to include a member from the Sugar Research Institute. 

Its representation will cut across various entities, namely Agriculture and Food Authority, Ministry of Agriculture, farmers, millers and sugar growing counties.

Over the last two years, the government has drafted various measures to rescue the country's ailing sugar industry.