Farmers who supply sugarcane to Nzoia Sugar Company are facing serious financial problems because the company has not paid them for their crops.
Many of these farmers have been waiting for their money since July, and despite asking the company many times, they still haven’t been paid.
This delay is making it hard for them to take care of basic needs like paying school fees for their children.
One farmer, who wanted to stay anonymous, shared his frustration: “There is a problem with Nzoia Sugar Company. I am a farmer, and since they harvested sugarcane in July, there has been no payment. It’s not only me; we are many.
When we question them, they have many excuses, yet we need money for school fees. We tried to demonstrate, but they covered it up, and it didn’t even reach the media.
Please, if you can help, we will be grateful.”In 2023, the government said it would help fix the financial problems at Nzoia Sugar Company.
President William Ruto announced that Ksh 300 million owed to farmers would be paid.
He also said that Ksh 1.7 billion had been set aside by Members of Parliament to help revive the struggling sugar sector and promised that all Nzoia farmers would receive their payments within two days.
However, it seems these promises were not fulfilled, as farmers are still waiting for their money.
This is not the first time farmers have faced such issues with Nzoia Sugar Company.
In the past, there have been several instances where farmers complained about delayed payments.
For example, in 2017, farmers threatened to stop supplying cane to the company because of late payments and alleged discrimination.
They claimed that the management was giving priority to farmers from other zones and neglecting the contracted ones.
The company’s agriculture manager at the time admitted they were late on payments by two months, citing a lack of cane to crush as the reason.
In 2021, farmers again protested over unpaid dues, stating they had not been paid for seven months despite the company harvesting their cane and selling sugar.
They planned demonstrations to demand their money, expressing frustration over the company’s failure to adhere to the Ministry of Agriculture’s directive to pay farmers 30 days after harvesting their cane.
The ongoing delays in payments have caused significant hardship for farmers, affecting their ability to meet essential needs and undermining their trust in the company’s management.
They are now calling on authorities to intervene and ensure that Nzoia Sugar Company fulfills its obligations.
Without timely payments, farmers struggle to sustain their livelihoods, and the local economy suffers as a result.
It is crucial for the company and the government to address these issues promptly to restore confidence and support the farmers who play a vital role in the sugar industry.
