Cane Availability Survey Report 2022/2023 – 2023/2024
The 2022 Industry cane availability survey was carried out in all 16 factory zones with a broad objective of assessing the status of sugarcane supply in the industry, identifying production constraints and projecting mill cane availability. The survey was undertaken in November 2022 guided by six (6) field enumeration teams who carried out visual assessment of cane to estimate the expected yields. The training of enumerators was conducted by staff from AFA-Sugar Directorate, KALRO- Sugar Research Institute and Environmental Systems Research Institute (ESRI). A productivity index ranging between 0 and 4 was applied to cane crop from the age of 3 months for crop vigour, crop colour, crop density, effects of weeds, pests and disease on yield. Summation of the scores was used to estimate zonal productivity using threshold yields of 100, 90, 80 and 70 tonnes per hectare for plant crop, ratoon 1, ratoon 2 and ratoon 3 respectively. Field data capture was done using a mobile application Open Data Kit (ODK) that is user friendly. The surface area under cane increased by 6.72 % from 221,916 Ha in November 2021 to 236,820 Ha in November 2022.
The increase in the area under sugarcane was witnessed in most of the factories. The West Kenya sugar factory catchment area reduced significantly, much of its area under cane in Bungoma and Trans Nzoia counties was apportioned to Naitiri Sugar factory, which began its operation in March 2022. Sukari, Kibos and Transmara sugar factory zones recorded significant increase in their area under cane.
The surface area under cane was distributed in 15 counties with Kakamega accounting for the highest proportion at 21.6% of the total, followed by Bungoma at 16.4%; Kisumu and Busia counties accounted for 12.4 % and 8.7% respectively. The Nucleus Estates account for only 6% of area under cane, whereas the Outgrowers occupy 94%. The projected yield as at November 2022 is 70.27 (Tonnes/Ha), a reduction of 7.11% compared to the previous year’s actual yield of 75.65 (Tonnes/Ha). This may be attributed to high cost of inputs and prolonged dry seasons experienced in the sugarcane growing zones.
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