West Valley Sugar firm seeks to set up Sh800m factory in Kericho County

A new firm is seeking to set up a Sh800 million sugar factory in Kericho County in a move expected to reduce the deficit of the sweetener and cut down reliance on expensive imports.

According to an application by West Valley Sugar Company Limited, the firm intends to install a mill with a capacity of 1,250 tonnes of canes per day, which will be expandable to 2,500 tonnes of canes per day.

From the 1,250 tonnes of canes per day, they said in their proposal, sugar production will be about 138 metric tonnes per day - equivalent to 3250 metric tonnes per month.

The company, which is seeking a greenlight from the National Environment Management Authority (Nema), has identified 50 acres while another 100-acre adjacent to the site is still available for future expansion.

“The raw materials generated from the sugar plant, such as bagasse and molasses, will be utilised in the mill and co-gen power plants,” said their Environmental and Social Impact Assessment study report.

The proponent also plans to use excess bagasse in the manufacture of chip boards, briquetted and transported for use in firing boilers in the neighbouring tea factories.

The out growers targeted by the proposed sugar factory will be expected to fall within 30-50 km radius of the factory area and will cover mainly Sigowet/Soin Constituency and parts of Ainamoi, Belgut, Kipkelion West and Nyando constituencies.

Drill a borehole

Other than using water from River Kipkwes, West Valley intends to drill a borehole inside the factory premises.

The company indicated that employment priority will be given to the local residents of Kapkormom, Soin/Sigowet, Kericho County and Kenya at large as well as other staff for operating the sugar processing mill by engaging professionally qualified individuals.

As their corporate social responsibility, the sugar firm stated that they will improve amenities such as roads, water, health care and social facilities in the surrounding area.

 “The operation of the proposed project will ensure that we construct class rooms, a health centre, water points and support the needy in the society,” he said.

Kibos Sugar Factory

The granting of licence is expected to revive sugarcane farming in Kericho County and reduce costs incurred in transportation to millers domiciled outside the region.

The aging machinery of Chemelil and Muhoroni public mills as well as the recent breakdown of Kibos Sugar factory has occasioned delayed cane harvesting and huge losses to cane growers.

Soin Sugar, which was the only factory in Kericho County, collapsed eight years ago.

Kericho County executive in charge of Agriculture Mr Phillip Mason recently promised that the devolved unit will give incentives in terms of farm inputs subsidies to increase production of the key raw material and sustain the capacity of local millers.

Sugarcane is the third productive cash crop grown in Kericho after tea and coffee.

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