Mombasa: The government has assured farmers of sufficient fertilizer as the long rain continues amid concerns by farmers that the stocked fertilizers at the cereal boards could not meet the demand. National Fertilizer Technical Committee Chairman Haron Khator says at least 1 million bags of fertilizer have been released from the Mombasa port for onward upcountry delivery even as the government ordered the importation of an additional 1.5 million metric tonnes.
According to Kenya News Agency, Khator, who is also the Administration Secretary of the State Department for Agriculture, spoke during an inspection of the Thika National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) stores in Kiambu County. Khator emphasized that capping the number of bags of subsidized fertilizer that a farmer should purchase at the cereals board helps streamline distribution and prevents cartels from buying many bags to sell at higher prices.
Khator assured that limiting the number of bags to purchase at the cereal board is not an indicator of a shortage of fertilizer but a measure to streamline distribution. He stated that there are adequate stocks to sustain the farmers until the next planting season. He acknowledged challenges related to the slow pace of releasing the fertilizer to the farmers, attributing these challenges to the huge demand.
To address the situation, more staff have been employed on a casual basis at the NCPB distribution centers to help in releasing the fertilizer to farmers. Khator noted that the NCPB staff sometimes get overwhelmed by the large turnout of farmers, which has led to increased manpower to address the issue.
Efforts are underway to work with other agencies to ensure that no fake fertilizer is reported in the market. Khator advised farmers not to panic if they encounter fertilizer of different colors, as new fertilizer blends are being manufactured through research to cater to various crops and functions.
Farmers, led by Patrick Njui, expressed appreciation for the affordable fertilizer selling at Sh2,500 for a 50-kilogram bag from government stores. However, they noted having waited for weeks to receive their share, and many complained about receiving fewer bags than expected. They hoped the government incentive would boost their farming fortunes, noting higher yields since the introduction of the subsidized fertilizer.
Njui urged the NCPB to expedite the process, highlighting that delays have affected their planting preparations. He called for a more streamlined process in future planting seasons to ensure timely access to fertilizer.