Kenya's sugar industry could face a shortage of the commodity after hundreds of farms were set on fire in post-election violence.
Hard hit is the Nyando and South Nyanza sugar belt, where arsonists have left a trail of destruction.
In Nyando, more than 500 acres of Muhoroni Sugar Factory cane worth over Sh50 million ($765,000) have been burnt. The company’s General Manager, Mr John Nyambok, said, "A group of youths burnt over 25,000 tonnes of cane immediately presidential results were announced. We have had similar incidents before but not of this magnitude."
Speaking after leading a team inspecting the damage, Nyambok said the protesters torched nuclear and out-growers farms. As a result, he said, the factory had started harvesting burnt cane for crushing. But "The factory can only salvage half of the burnt cane, while the rest will dry up in the farms," he said.
He said that the company had given loans to farmers to plant cane and it would be difficult to recover the money from farmers following the loss. The company now faces a shortage of cane for crushing in future because of the attack.
Nyambok said that attack has adversely affected operations at factory and asked political leaders to hurriedly re solve their differences. "We have sensitised local people to stop burning cane but the campaign has not been successful," he added.
In Rongo District, five people have been charged with setting ablaze hundreds of acres of cane belonging to Sony Sugar Company. They were accused of jointly setting on fire cane valued at Sh3.9 million belonging to the sugar company on January 3.
The Standard