Sugarcane growers in Migori County met with board candidate Peter Midodo in Awendo, urging candidates for the National Sugar Board to prioritize farmer welfare as elections approach.

The growers highlighted losses incurred during harvesting and transport, noting that delays between field cutting and factory delivery reduce cane weight and earnings.

A key grievance is the absence of mobile weighbridges, which prevents farmers from independently verifying the tonnage of cane they deliver to factories.

Farmers are urging prospective board members to push for the deployment of mobile weighbridges so they can record deliveries and ensure accountability in the weighing process.

They also called for decisive action against continued sugar imports, which they say flood the market, depress local prices and threaten the profitability of domestic sugarcane farming.

The growers asked future board representatives to work closely with factories and other stakeholders to ensure timely harvesting and efficient transportation of cane to reduce post‑harvest losses.

In their statements, the farmers stressed that candidates should present concrete solutions to these challenges rather than focusing solely on securing board seats.

Overall, the growers expect incoming board members to champion transparent weighing, protect the local sugar market, improve harvest logistics and secure fair returns for producers.