The much-hyped fish processing plant in the county is yet to start operations three months after it was officially launched at a high profile event attended by the Lake Region Economic Bloc (LREB) governors.
The Sh60 million plant was commissioned on July12 as as a way of mobilising farmers in the region to diversify to aquaculture and improve their income.
The county government then signed an agreement with the DAS Group, a firm involved in fish processing, to operationalise the factory. The investor is reported to have injected Sh40 million into the project.
The delay by DAS Group to start operations, has raised concerns from farmers who are now complaining they are unable to deliver their fish for processing at the factory.
Kakamega County Fish Farmers Cooperative Society chairman Laban Mwanzo said he had met the plant’s management to establish the cause of delay.
“We are yet to get an explanation from the firm’s management on what is causing the delay,” Mr Mwanzo said.
Das Group chief executive Mr Sanwel Ondiek told the Nation that the firm was still grappling with challenges, including finalising a lease agreement with the county government. He said the county government is expected to hand over the agreement in the next few days.
“We are facing a myriad of challenges, which include delivery of low quality fish by farmers. Some have been delivering fish weighing as little as 100 grams,” said Mr Ondiek, noting that farmers should be supported to improve fish quality. BY DAILY NATION