Del Monte ready to surrender illegal land, MD says

By , K24 Digital
On Mon, 26 Aug, 2019 13:05 | < 1 min read
Pineapple plantation
Del Monte pineapple plantation. PHOTO | FILE
Del Monte pineapple plantation. PHOTO | FILE

By Oliver Musembi and Wangari Njuguna

A dispute over land occupied by Del Monte fruit-processing company may soon be resolved after the management agreed to surrender part of the land not in use.

Managing Director Stergios Gkliamoutsas said the firm welcomes a resurvey ordered by the National Land Commission and Parliament in the wake of claims it could be occupying more land other than what is documented.

He said the management has all the ownership documents for the nine blocks of the land measuring about 22,000 acres out of which 9,000 acres is under pineapple plantations.

In a rejoinder, local residents under the aegis of Kandara Residents Association welcomed the company's gesture saying it was a move in the right direction.

Chairman Philip Kamau said he has documents to prove that Del Monte occupies public land which was transferred to the government by Chui Ltd and Rappit Ltd in 1973