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{
    "id": 1355273,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1355273/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 47,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Tigania West, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. (Dr) John K. Mutunga",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Thank you, Hon. Deputy Speaker. On 24th October 2023, the Member for Muhoroni Constituency, Hon. Onyango K’Oyoo, requested for a Statement from the Departmental Committee on Agriculture and Livestock. I wish to report to the House that I have received a response from the Ministry, which I will proceed to read. Hon. Deputy Speaker, pursuant to Standing Order 44(2)(c), Hon. Onyango K’Oyoo requested for a statement on 24th October 2023 regarding the planned importation of duty-free mill white/brown sugar into the country. The Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development responded to the issues raised in the request for the Statement as follows. The Member sought to be provided with a report on the volume of duty-free sugar that has been imported into the country since the beginning of 2023, and details of companies that imported duty-free sugar into the country within the stated period, including the directors of the named companies. The response is as follows. The country has been experiencing sugar shortages and high prices of the commodity. The sugar shortages have been addressed by allowing imports of sugar into the country. A total of 163,827 metric tonnes of duty-free sugar landed in the country between January and September 2023. Further, the Member sought to be provided with details of companies that have been authorised to import the newly-gazetted 250,000 metric tonnes of duty-free sugar into the country, including their directors. The response is as follows. The Government issued import licences to various companies to import 250,000 metric tonnes of sugar. The Member also sought an explanation on the measures that the relevant ministries have put in place to ensure that the importation of duty-free sugar into the country does not slow down the revival of the country's sugar industry. The Government has adopted a policy of subsidising production through provision of subsidised fertilisers and other farm inputs to sugar growers. Other programmes initiated through the deliberate policy on promotion of local production include the following: 1. Availing good quality planting materials through setting up nurseries which will provide planting materials in bulk; 2. Development of regulations for establishment and management of sugar- cane buying centres: 3. Implementation of the recommendations of the Presidential Task Force on Regional Zoning to enable millers to plan better for cane development and facilitate the enforcement of cane supply contracts; and, 4. The Cabinet has approved the leasing of state-owned mills to private investors under management contracts. The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}