March 2025 Cane...

By Etherly Barasa, Kenya Sugar Board (Nzoia C.T.U.)

INTRODUCTION

The March 2025 Cane Quality Report from the Cane Testing Unit (CTU) highlights key issues that must be addressed to ensure a smooth transition into the new operational model. These include better integration of the CTU with mills and the adoption of new cane varieties with shorter maturity and higher sucrose content.

Continuous stakeholder sensitization will be critical to support this transition. This report takes a focused look at the NIR data for the month, outlining key challenges and offering recommendations for improvement.

ANALYSED PARAMETERS

Pol- the sucrose content in the cane juice

Brix- Total soluble solids in the cane juice

Moisture- the amount of water present in the cane at the time of analysis

Fibre- the non-sucrose organic material in the cane

It is important to note that these parameters may be influenced by various factors, including harvesting practices, transportation, and weather conditions, which can affect the results either positively or negatively.

A total of 517 samples were analysed across all regions for the reporting month. The regions are represented by the CTUs as follows:

- Western Region: (Butali CTU, Nzoia CTU, Mumias CTU, and West Kenya CTU)

- Nyanza Region: (Kibos CTU, Chemelil CTU, and Muhoroni CTU)

- South Nyanza Region: (Sony CTU, Transmara CTU, and Sukari CTU)

- Coast Region: (Kwale CTU)

The report includes average data from samples analysed across the country during the reporting month of March 2025 in the table below.

CHALLENGES

• Muddy samples: Heavy rains resulted in muddy cane deliveries, which affected sample purity and led to slightly lower quality readings.
• CTU-Mill Constraints: Specific Cane Testing Units faced unavoidable constraints with their respective mills, preventing data reporting.
• Delayed transportation: Logistical delays in transporting cane to the mills impacted timely sampling and processing.
• CTU operational failures: Some CTUs experienced equipment breakdowns and trucks lacked access to the cane ramp, hindering data collection.
• Poor cane quality: Analysed samples contained significant extraneous material (trash, mud), and a general drop in measured parameters suggested harvesting of young/immature cane
• Factory shutdowns: Temporary shutdowns at some factories led to a lack of sampling in those regions, contributing to a lower overall number of samples collected.

RECOMMENDATIONS

• Adjust sample preparation techniques to minimize mud influence on purity and quality readings.
• Deploy mobile testing units: Consider deploying mobile CTUs to circumvent fixed-unit access issues during peak constraints

• Collaborate with logistics teams to prioritize timely cane delivery, especially during              peak harvesting periods.
• Strategic dialogue: Establish a multi-stakeholder forum involving Ministry, Millers, Farmers and Kenya Sugar Board to identify and resolve root causes of factory closures and recurrent mill constraints Stakeholders should be educated on best practices for cane harvesting, loading, and transportation to improve data quality and consistency.
• Preventive maintenance and spares: Develop a rapid response mechanism for equipment breakdowns and ensure adequate stocking of essential spare parts at CTU or regional depots.  Train CTU personnel in basic troubleshooting and minor repairs.
• Intensify farmer sensitization campaigns on best harvesting practices (detrashing, proper topping, and maturity indicators), explicitly linking clean, mature cane delivery to higher payments under the new mode.

CONCLUSION

The challenges encountered ranging from muddy samples and transportation delays to equipment failures and poor cane quality have significantly impacted the efficiency and accuracy of cane sampling and analysis. These issues not only reduced the volume of viable samples but also compromised data reliability, ultimately affecting the integrity of performance assessments and decision making.

To address these setbacks, a combination of operational improvements, enhanced coordination, farmer engagement and implementation of the above recommendations is essential