Bernard Kwalia
14 July 2008
Nairobi — All border points are being monitored to check sugar smuggling into the country.
Agriculture assistant minister Gideon Ndambuki said the Government had put measurers in place to stop illegal importation of sugar and other produce grown locally.
He said imported produce had flooded local markets, increasing poverty levels in the country.
He was speaking at a field day held at Kimaiti area in Bungoma to promote local industries.
Mr Ndambuki, who was accompanied by Lands assistant minister Sylvester Wakoli, advised farmers in Western Kenya, who largely depend on sugarcane, to diversify in order to expand their economic base.
Ready market
The minister said there was a ready market for maize locally and foreign industries which produce corn oil had a shortage and were largely depending on Africa for raw material.
Mr Ndambuki, who launched a market initiative through short message service (SMS) that will help farmers get a variety of seeds, urged farmers to use field officers to improve production.
He said the Government had employed 300 extension officers to guide farmers on better methods of farming. The minister also asked farmers to plant seeds favourable to their regions for better yields.
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