Mumias Sugar Breaks Silence on Harvest Delays: Blames Rivals, Rain, and Three-Month Shutdown.
Mumias Sugar Limited has released a statement updating the public on cane harvesting delays attributing it to overlapping claims with rival millers, crushing capacity pressure following a three month closure of the industry and Busia’s difficult lowland terrains.
The public update dated February 11,2026, acknowledged field conflicts and operational disruptions over overlapping claims of self developed cane with competitors like West Kenya and Busia sugar leasing to disputes filed to regulators and the harassment of harvesting teams.
The mill also acknowledged a rise in the amount of mature cane following a three month closure of the sector last year that was meant to let the cane mature. The pause partnered up with daily crushing capacity limits has resulted in a backlog as farmers rush to harvest their cane before the rainy season commences.
Mumia Sugar noted that a large percent of cane was located in lowland areas in the Busia Region and that these areas were difficult to access during adverse weather. In response to this the miller promised to continue to invest in additional equipment.
The company reassured farmers on its commitment to harvesting all properly registered cane and maintaining the weekly payments of farmers urging them to cooperate with field officers and to follow scheduled harvest plans.The miller re-affirmed farmers that it remains focused on long term improvement of services.
