State disburses 2m bags of subsidised fertiliser to depots

Subsidised fertiliser at the NCPB depot in Eldoret / MATHEWS NDANYI

The government has distributed more than 2 million bags of subsidised fertiliser to National Cereals and Produce Board depots across the country in readiness for this year’s planting season.

The consignment is part of more than four million bags of fertiliser required for the new planting season, which usually starts by the end of next month.

Agriculture PS Kiprono Rono said the government was still receiving more fertiliser, which is being transported from Mombasa to various NCPB depots.

A week ago, Rono was at the NCPB Eldoret depot to receive part of the fertiliser consignment that has already arrived and is now being distributed ahead of the planting season.

He assured farmers that the government was well prepared ahead of the planting period and that no hitches were expected in the distribution of the fertiliser.

The PS said by the end of this period, the government expects to have brought in all the more than four million bags required for the planting season.

The fertiliser is being distributed to all the 32 NCPB depots countrywide, and Rono said the government will work closely with county administrations to ensure the fertiliser reaches all farmers.

In an update on the subsidised fertiliser programme, Rono said the government had ensured that the consignment being distributed was of high quality and had been approved by the Kenya Bureau of Standards.

The government is keen to maintain high production of maize and other crops, hence the move to ensure fertiliser reaches farmers in good time.

Rono said e-vouchers to be used by farmers to buy the subsidised fertiliser from NCPB depots have already been processed.

NCPB North Rift manager Gilbert Rotich said the board is ready to handle the distribution of the subsidised fertiliser to farmers.

The board has put in place arrangements to ensure staff are available at the depots round the clock to receive fertiliser consignments from Mombasa.

“We already have farmers who have started buying the subsidised fertiliser, and NCPB is well prepared to serve the farmers as required,” Rotich said.

Farmers in the region, led by Paul Kiptoo, have welcomed the move by the government to stock fertiliser early enough ahead of the planting season.

“We urge the government and counties to ensure the fertiliser is taken to all buying centres and NCPB depots so that farmers can easily access it,” he said.

Kiptoo urged the government to ensure seeds and other farm inputs are distributed to all areas to allow farmers easy access.