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"content": "amounting to Kshs4.7 billion to avoid sugar companies continuing to incur huge losses. We have disbursed Kshs1.7 billion to farmers, being payment for outstanding farmers arrears owed by respective factories. We have reduced the SDF lending rates from 10 per cent to 5 per cent. The Kenya Sugar Board, in partnership with the Agricultural Finance Corporation (AFC) of Kenya, has disbursed directly to farmers, a total of Kshs500 million as loans for cane development. Mr. Speaker, Sir, with effect from 1st July, 2009, the sugar companies adopted a cane payment formula which pegs the price of cane to that of sugar and incorporates a quality variable. As a result, farmers have been able to enjoy high producer prices. In fact, this year saw a record Kshs3,250 per tonne being paid to farmers. That is a record in the history of the sugar industry in our country. We have also increased funding to research by twice the amount it was last year. The Kenya Sugar Research Foundation is currently undertaking expansion and modernization of its facilities. On sugar import regulations, the Government has developed the sugar import regulations to protect millers and farmers from unfair competition from importation. The Government streamlined its surveillance capability to ensure effective monitoring of sugar importation by putting in place mechanisms that enable it to closely monitor and regulate sugar imports in accordance with regulation provisions in the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) agreements. In 2003, the Government effected the import/export regulations that provided for registration of sugar importers and exporters hence effectively monitoring the movement of sugar. In 2008, the Government amended the regulations to make them more effective as they were being grossly abused by unscrupulous traders. The Sugar Regulations, 2008, therefore, provide for issuance of permits on âper consignmentâ basis instead of the blanket annual licences previously used."
}