Posted on March, 6, 2019 at 09:09 am
By GIDEON KETER and AGATHA NGOTHO
Treasury CS Henry Rotich and the Ministry of Agriculture yesterday differed on the availability of money to buy subsidised fertiliser.
Rotich in a telephone interview with the Star said the Treasury released Sh2 billion last Friday to the Ministry of Agriculture to start buying the fertiliser.
“They already had Sh2 billion and on Friday last week we gave them another Sh2 billion. It is now for them to start the process of procuring the fertliser,” he said.
However, Agriculture CAS Andrew Tuimur said the decision on whether or not to purchase fertiliser is yet to be made.
Tuimur who also spoke to the Star maintained the earlier position by Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri when he appeared before National Assembly Agriculture committee.
“But even if the government was to buy fertiliser, it would be too late since the majority of the farmers have started planting while others will be planting from next week, “ he said.
He said the only available fertiliser is about 635,000 bags of 50kg each under the Access to Government Procurement Opportunity programme meant for the youth, women and persons with disability.
“The rest is still as it was and nothing concrete has come out. But I assure farmers that by the next short rains season this issue of fertiliser would have been sorted out,” he said yesterday.
On February 11, Kiunjuri blamed the Treasury for the confusion in fertiliser importation, saying the Treasury was yet to give money for buying subsidised fertiliser.
“On January 29, we got clearance from the National Treasury to buy fertiliser but since then, we have not received money through the IFMIS as required by law. This means we cannot buy fertiliser in good time ahead of the planting season next month when the long rain begins.”
Kiunjuri said the buck stops with the Treasury. The CS told MPs the Ministry began preparing to buy fertiliser in August and wrote to the National Treasury requesting for funds.
“Treasury responded and asked the Ministry of Agriculture to operate within the approved budget of Sh4.3 billion. But this was not enough since there were pending bills to NCPB and Export Trading Company Limited and AGPO companies amounting to Sh7.9 billion for fertiliser deliveries of 2016-2017 financial year. The remaining Sh2.15 billion was used to procure fertiliser from AGPO firms,” he explained.
Kiunjuri said under the national fertiliser subsidy programme, the ministry intended to procure 166, 750 metric tonnes ( 3.3 million bags) for the 2019 long rains season.
“Out of this, the ministry has managed to order local blends from AGPO firm 635, 000 bags. The other 2.7 million bags of 50 kg each of conventional fertiliser are not available locally and were earmarked for importation using the framework contract that expired on January 10,” he said.
Source: The Star