[Nikko Tanui, Standard]The collapse of the Soin Sugar factory in Kericho County has dealt a big blow to farmers in the marginalised Soin-Sigowet constituency, where the cash crop is mainly grown. Just like in western Kenya, where sugarcane farmers’ fortunes have dipped due to the collapse of State-owned millers such as Muhuroni, Soin faces the same fate. “Sugarcane farmers have been left to support factories in Nyanza region such as Muhuroni, Chemelil, Miwani, Kibos and now Kabras. Andrew Bett, a member of Sugarcane Farmers Federation says it costs up to Sh1,000 per tonne to transport their cane to sugar factories. Bett who harvests an average of 45 tonnes of cane per acre from his eight acres in Soin, called on investors to put up a sugar factory in Soin ward.

Source: Standard Digital August 18, 2021 05:37 UTC