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{
    "id": 1478748,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1478748/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 83,
    "type": "other",
    "speaker_name": "",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": "THAT, aware that, commercial sugar-cane production in Kenya was introduced in the early years of Independence with an aim of eliminating dependence on sugar importation and contributing to economic transformation in the sugar belt and the country at large through agriculture; acknowledging that, at its pinnacle, the sugar industry significantly contributed to the country’s National Gross Domestic Product (GDP) and became one of the largest employers which supported livelihoods of many Kenyans both directly and indirectly; concerned that, over the last 25 years, sugar-cane farming particularly in Western Kenya has been declining significantly, thereby dipping sugar production from over 600,000 metric tonnes per year in the 1990s to less than 300,000 metric tons in recent years; noting that, the decline in sugar-cane farming has forced local millers to operate far below their milling capacities and pushed the country to over-rely on net importation of sugar which negatively impacts on the balance of trade; noting that, the decline in sugar production is attributable to factors such as mismanagement, interference and unfair competition from cheap imported sugar; further concerned that, state-owned sugar millers like Mumias Sugar Company and Nzoia Sugar Company ceased milling while owing farmers hundreds of millions of shillings; appreciating that, the Government has been putting in place strategies, policies and regulations to define roles of millers and major players and stakeholders in the sugar industry in a bid to revamp the sector; concerned that, the acute shortage of sugar-cane resulting from mass abandonment of sugar-cane farming continues to roll back the initiatives for reviving sugar milling; recognising that, further investment in revamping sugar companies before reviving sugar-cane farming would occasion loss of the invested public funds instead of yielding success; now therefore, this House resolves that, the National Government, through the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, reviews the sugar development policies to provide that every investor-miller sets aside definite funds for development of sugar-cane farming, incentivising farmers to embrace sugar-cane growing and to enhance cane production in each of the respective zones."
}