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{
    "id": 1398602,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1398602/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 252,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Sen. Okiya Omtatah",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "because they are not paying the farmer for the entire value of the sugar cane. If they are compelled to pay the farmer the value of the sugarcane, most would close shop. An amendment that will push towards modernization of the sugar industry in this country is the one that is also targeting the miller. The miller should pay the farmer for the array of products that are possible and have been achieved in other parts of the world, where we always compare ourselves to and wonder why they are so efficient and productive. I fully agree with what Sen. (Dr.) Khalwale said that harvesting pre-mature cane should be punished. However, beyond that, what is mature cane? Is it cane that is 15, 16 or 20 months old? I have seen studies done by the millers in this country, which demonstrates that the optimum age for harvesting sugar in this country is 20 months. Since in the last four months the cane tends to grow almost half the size it was at the age of about 16 months. The sucrose content also rises and it is a win-win situation for the miller and the farmer. Therefore, mature cane should be clearly defined in terms of sucrose content and value of the cane. It should not be abstract that pre-mature cane is what you see. It should be determined scientifically through measures, weights and so on. The question of inputs needs to be addressed. It is a global issue in terms of agriculture in this country and the other areas. Cartels have infiltrated inputs. One time I was having a discussion with my good friend Arap Menjo. He was walking me through the Kenya Farmers’ Co-operative (KFC). He told me that in the colonial times, the colonizers had organized themselves in such a way that they controlled the production of seeds through what is now the Agriculture Famers Training Centre (ATC) and so on. The farmers controlled the production of seeds and made sure they were of the correct quality. Therefore, whatever crop that we were going to grow was of the correct quality. Mr. Arap Menjo also told me that through the KFC, they could purchase inputs for their farmers, first of all, in bulk to ensure that the prices were lowered. They could also ensure the quality of the inputs, so that the kind of things, which are arising with fertilizers here, where anybody can import fertilizer today, could not arise. The farmers controlled it. Additionally, at the end of the day, they controlled the pricing of the product in confirmation with the other players in the market, so that the farmers were never at the mercy of cartels. However, KFC was destroyed. Certain arrangements need to be made so that we can protect the farmers from the rogue players in production of seed and other inputs. Perhaps, we should be thinking of these vast Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) lands and turning them into multiplication centres for quality seed. Since, if you look at how seed in the sugar industry is utilized, they just go and pick sugar cane of a certain age, usually young canes; give to the next farmer to grow and propagate it that way. There is a need to control the seed, so that we know what number of cuttings or ratoons can still be used as sugar cane seed. However, I feel that the first aid is still land, especially if you can recover them from those who have stolen them, and can be put to good use as centers for working in partnership with the Kenya Sugar Research Centers to provide us with quality seed. Those interventions would be of help. The electronic version of the Senate Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Director, Hansard and AudioServices, Senate."
}