Economy

Mumias halts sugar milling as cane shortage bites

mumias

A section of the Mumias Sugar Factory. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Mumias Sugar Company has temporarily stopped crushing of cane due to shortage of raw material.

The company’s Chief Executive Officer Nashon Aseka on Monday said only the sugar production line at the factory had been affected but other operations including; ethanol production and agricultural services were still on.

The miller has for the last six months been struggling to sustain operations amid a biting shortage of raw material in its catchment area.

Other millers from the region are grappling with a similar shortage of cane triggering vicious competition for raw material in the sugar zone.

READ: Mumias to retrench more even as board pay doubles

ALSO READ: Mumias on edge as three banks recall Sh2bn loans

Lack of funds

The crisis at the Mumias factory has been worsened by lack of funds to pay farmers' outstanding arrears amounting to more than Sh600 million.

“We have been forced to temporarily shut down operations because it is no longer economically viable to continue crushing with a limited supply of cane,” said Mr Aseka.

The miller has been taking up to two weeks to collect 6,000 tonnes of cane for crushing but the supply has recently dwindled further affecting milling of sugar.

“We need to have 4,000 tonnes of cane daily at least three times a week to be able to operate optimally and for our operations to be economical,” said Mr Aseka.

The entry of rival millers has complicated matters as the scramble for raw material intensifies.

Poaching

Mr Aseka blamed rival millers for poaching cane from contracted farmers due to lack of proper regulations to deal with "errant" players in the industry.

“The biggest challenge we are still facing is lack of funds to pay farmers for cane delivered.

The rival millers have taken advantage and harvesting cane from our contracted farmers with promises of paying them within days of delivery,” said Mr Aseka.

Mumias Sugar management has asked the Sugar Directorate to come up with regulations to punish millers violating the law by engaging in cane poaching in the region.

“We are finding it difficult to continue investing in cane development and then end up making huge losses after rival millers harvest the cane,” said Mr Aseka.