Central Region sugarcane out-growers threaten strike

Sugarcane out-growers in the Central Region have threatened to strike over what they have described as “unfair treatment” by the management of the Komenda Sugar Factory and the Ministry of Trade and Industry.

The National Chairman of the Sugarcane Farmers Association, Samuel Mensah, at a press conference, explained that the membership of the association was unhappy and disappointed after engagements between them and the factory, which had led them to expand their farms in anticipation that the factory would source sugarcane from them, that hope had remained a mirage.

“We know there is some work going on at the factory. We know the factory is being leased. But we don’t know what is happening and in all of this, nobody is engaging us,” he stated.

Mr Mensah said he and other members were aggrieved that the sugarcane planted for the factory was overgrown and farmers left without a buyer. He, therefore, called for a briefing on the true state of the factory.

This agitation comes after the Minister of Trade and Industry, K.T. Hammond, announced plans by the government to lease the Komenda Sugar Factory to West African Agro Limited, an India-based firm, for a renewable term of 15 to 20 years.

The sugarcane out-growers, at an earlier press conference, queried whether the factory was operational and where the company sourced its raw material, sugarcane, from.

They also asked when the company and ministry were going to engage the sugarcane out-growers to buy their products.

The out-growers said there were more than 15,000 acres of sugarcane farms currently in communities including Kissi, Shama, communities in Wassa East and West, Komenda, Winneba, Cape Coast, Gomoa East, West and Central, Assin South, as well as the Abura Asebu Kwamankese districts waiting on the factory to buy.

“Our monies are locked up in the farms and apart from a few demands from local alcohol distillers, our produce has not been patronised.

“We the sugarcane out-growers are ever ready to produce raw material to feed the Komenda Sugar Factory,” he said.

Contractual agreement

Mr Mensah reiterated that in 2022, the out-growers in the Komenda Sugar Factory area went on a contractual agreement with the management of the factory to purchase all the sugarcane they cultivated.

He said the agreement also resolved that anytime the company made an order for harvesting and failed to convey the harvested sugarcane to the factory, it would pay the full cost of the sugarcane.

He said the company and the out-growers further agreed on the price per tonnage of the sugarcane subject to the time and the season.

The company also agreed to employ the harvesters and to bear the cost of the re-planting when they harvested during the wrong season.

Mr Mensah said the agreement was done due to the unwillingness of some sugarcane out-growers to supply their sugarcane to the company, adding that the company must keep its side of the bargain for peace to prevail.