Posted on March, 12, 2019 at 09:35 am
The government has released Sh2 billion for the purchase of subsidised fertiliser for this year’s planting season. Agriculture Cabinet secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri said Treasury released the funds to his ministry on Friday and that stakeholders will meet tomorrow to decide on a procurement method to hasten the purchase process within the bounds of the law.
“We have received the funds to purchase fertiliser, the only challenge is whether it will reach the farmer in good time before the planting seasons begins,” said the CS on Friday when he officially opened this year’s Agricultural Society of Kenya (ASK) Eldoret show.
Kiunjuri who was accompanied by Uasin Gishu governor Jackson Mandago assured farmers that the ministry will be able to procure and deliver top-dressing fertilizer on time.
Mandago, said the monies had arrived a little too late considering the rains are expected anytime this month. He also said the money released was not sufficient to purchase the required amount of fertilizer. “Treasury has released only Sh2 billion instead of the Sh5 billion required,” he said.
The county boss also asked Treasury, Procurement and the Oversight Authority to apply the provisions of the procurement law and give the Ministry of Agriculture authority to acquire the fertiliser subsidy through direct procurement using producers in the country if the fertiliser is going to assist the farmer plant this season.
“When we find ourselves in this kind of situation where funds are released late, when the fertiliser is required within the next one week and the rains are set to begin anytime, the relevant government authorities must apply the provisions of the law in procurement to accelerate purchase of the fertiliser,” said Mandago.
The CS said so far the government has purchased 460,000 bags of maize from small scale farmers through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). The government is paying Sh2,500 for every 90 kilogramme bag.
“We gave priority to the small scale farmer whom the government wants to benefit directly from the better price and by Thursday 7 all farmers who delivered their maize to NCPB will have been paid,” he assured.
He, however, said they will soon be opening the window for large scale farmers to sell their maize produce to NCPB, “once we allow the big players to deliver their produce, we will hit the two million bags we require for the strategic food reserve this year”.
Mandago praised the government for ensuring prompt payment to maize farmers adding that although farmers were not able to deliver their maize to other NCPB depots due to lack of gunny bags, the ministry of agriculture has now received funds to buy the bags, “and from next week farmers will be able to deliver their maize to Ziwa, Kipkaren, Turbo and Kipkabus NCPB depots”.
Source: MediaMax Network