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{
    "id": 305324,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/305324/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 302,
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    "content": "because I know it is well intended but if you read it, it is all about the board and very little about the farmer and how the Government will help the farmer. It is very quick to seek to levy licences and fees on the farmer which in my opinion will be a burden on the farmer rather than a boost to the farmer. I would have been pleased if the Bill was talking about subsidies to help this young industry grow and later on tax it when it is nourishing and not at its infancy stage. So, in my opinion, licence fees and other regulations will only enrich the policemen on the road to the market rather than the farmer and will scare away investors who would want to invest in this crop. This is my humble view. Another sector that I think the framers of this Bill ignored is that this is a long term crop. It takes, at least, three years before the coconut plant starts yielding fruit after which you can go harvesting for over 30 years. But Dr. Mwiria mentioned the land problem at the coast. You do not expect squatters to make long term investments of that kind. They will grow maize for one season and hope for the best before someone chases them away with a title deed from Nairobi. So before we even start addressing the coconut industry, agriculture is based on land, we need to sort out the land issues so that people own the land and feel confident enough to invest long term in this kind of crop. As a farmer, I know that for coconut to pay, it has to be done on large scale and not the way it is being done at the coast at the subsistence level. We should have units that are viable, even if it will be groups of farmers brought together as co-operatives to farm those lands because it is only in that framework that you will have decent returns to attract investments to this industry. If Mr. Mungatana can find it in his heart to accommodate some of these concerns and introduce the necessary amendments which will take into account these other considerations, I will gladly support it. However, in its present form at the stage of Second Reading, I am opposing it. But if it comes to the Third Reading with some of these amendments, I will be pleased to support. With those few remarks, I beg to oppose for the moment."
}