Farmers decry slow disbursement of subsidized fertilizer

The Ministry of Agriculture has blamed logistical challenges and extensive vetting of farmers for the delay in disbursing the government subsidized fertilizer.

The government has imported over 104,000 metric tons of fertilizer but cereal farmers have had a hard time accessing it from the National Produce and Cereal Board (NCPB) offices.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett said the ministry and NCPB were taking extensive measures to ensure rightful farmers benefit from the subsidy program as cases of fertilizer theft become rampant.

“There are some businessmen posing as farmers who have got ways of getting the fertilizer only to resell to farmers and that are what we want to do away with,” he said.

Farmers have been dashing to NCPB depots across the country in readiness of the planting season.

However farmers have been met with new quotas, as NCPB is only releasing 40 bags of fertilizer per farmer which they argue will impact food production.

The CS said NCPB will review the quota based on farmers needs.

“In the process of tightening regulations so that fertilizer is not diverted there may be some challenges, but we are doing so that the fertilizer gets to the real farmer,” Mr Bett stressed.

Farmers are accessing the fertilizer at Sh1,800 per 50 kilogram bag.

The same fertilizer is available in the market at between Sh2,700 and Sh3,100.

The logistical challenges have seen farmers make a beeline for NCPB depots hoping to secure the key input ahead of the short rains.

Farmers have however taken issue with 40 bags quota set by the government arguing it farmers ought to get fertilizer based on the size of their farms.