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.