Millers Ordered to Pay Farmers in Seven Days
Sugar producers across the country now face a firm deadline to settle accounts with cane growers after the national Sugar Board introduced a strict seven-day payment rule.
Under the new directive, millers must clear all outstanding amounts within a week of receiving delivered cane, a move designed to end the long-standing problem of delayed payouts that has frustrated farming communities for years. The requirement will be written into supply contracts and licensing terms, ensuring it becomes a standard obligation rather than an optional courtesy. Officials have made clear that any miller who fails to meet the timeline will incur interest charges along with additional penalties, signalling a tougher stance on financial discipline within the industry.
Jude Chesire, the board’s chief executive, emphasised that the era of indefinite waiting must end. “The days when farmers waited indefinitely for payment after delivering cane must come to an end,” he stated, underscoring the board’s determination to protect growers who invest heavily in their crops only to face cash-flow crises after harvest. Beyond faster payments, the board is pressing for quicker issuance of harvesting permits so that mature cane is cut at the right moment rather than left standing while other farms receive preferential treatment. Such delays, officials warn, can lower sucrose levels and reduce the final value of the crop that farmers finally deliver.
At the same time, the board is cracking down on irregularities at factory weighbridges, where growers have reported losing as much as three tonnes of cane from a single trailer through inaccurate measurements. To restore confidence, the authority is acquiring mobile weighbridges that will allow independent checks of factory scales and confirm whether farmers receive fair weight readings. Parallel efforts are underway to expand cane-testing facilities, paving the way for a more sophisticated payment system that rewards sugar content and overall quality rather than relying solely on raw tonnage.
Millers have been given until 10 September to publish detailed harvesting frameworks that outline how cane will be scheduled, transported and delivered. These plans are expected to create transparent calendars and minimise the bottlenecks that leave ripe cane unharvested for extended periods. By clarifying the entire chain from field to factory, the frameworks aim to protect both the quality of the crop and the livelihoods of the people who grow it.
The reforms arrive as sugar output in the country continues its recovery. Production reached 815,454 metric tonnes in 2024 before dipping to 611,576 tonnes the following year; between January and July of the current year, mills have already turned out 528,875 tonnes, with July alone setting a monthly record of 91,022 tonnes. Despite the rebound, national demand still exceeds 1.2 million tonnes annually, leaving the country reliant on substantial imports and facing stubbornly high retail prices that recently climbed to 167.41 shillings per kilogramme. By tightening payment rules, weighbridge controls and harvesting schedules, authorities hope to strengthen the domestic industry, reduce import dependence and ensure that the people who grow the cane receive prompt and fair reward for their labour.
