Posted on February, 6, 2019 at 08:15 am
By MATHEWS NDANYI
The government is restructuring importation of subsidised fertiliser to make it easily accessible to farmers.
Finance CS Henry Rotich has said in future the farmers will be able to import their subsidised fertiliser through cooperative societies.
The government has already ruled out importation this year and the changes being made would also eliminate problems in its procurement, he said.
“The streamlining of the sector will take time but eventually farmers will be able to get the fertiliser faster and cheaper.”
Speaking in Elgeyo Marakwet on Sunday, Rotich said although farmers are currently frustrated by many challenges, the government is working on a way to resolve the problems.
“Farmers should not worry because the government is on top of things. We are making changes that will greatly benefit the sector so that we are adequate in food production,” he said.
Agriculture officials in the North Rift fear that cereal production will drop by a big margin after the government’s decision not to import the subsidised fertiliser. The input is likely to go up by more than 200 per cent in the open market.
The National Cereals and Produce Board has been selling the subsidised DAP fertiliser at Sh1,200 per 50kg bag. It is likely to retail at as much as Sh4,000 a bag, come planting season next month.
Uasin Gishu Agriculture executive Samuel Yego said the majority of farmers won’t be able to buy the fertiliser.
The governors of 13 maize growing counties will be meeting soon to discuss new measures in the cereals sector. Rotich advised farmers to join cooperative societies which would easily deal with all challenges they face.
Source: The Star