The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) has for the last few days been selling subsidized fertilizers to farmers in the North Rift region.
NCPB opened doors to farmers after they were sent messages confirming the number of bags they could purchase following their registration which is still ongoing.
According to the Board’s North Rift Regional Manager Gilbert Rotich, so far, over 32,000 bags of subsidized fertilizers have been sold to farmers.
Addressing a media briefing at the Eldoret depot, Rotich noted that the region had received 48,000 bags, with more expected to arrive in due course.
He assured farmers that there would be sufficient fertilizer for each one of them.
“The exercise is going well. We don’t have major challenges, so farmers; do not panic. Every farmer will get his/her own fertilizer as per registered location,” the NCPB North Rift boss assured.
Planting season
Under the subsidy program, a 50-kilogram bag of maize is being sold to farmers at Ksh3,500.
The Cabinet had in November 2022 approved the importation of over 6 million bags of fertilizer that will be sold to farmers for planting season.
It is anticipated that planting season in the North Rift will start at the end of February.
Further, the fertilizers are being sold to farmers through NCPB and the Kenya National Traders Corporation (KNTC) depots across the country.
NCPB has at least 9 depots in the North Rift that include Kital, Eldoret, Moi’s Bridge, Ziwa and Turbo among others.
“A farmer can purchase the subsidized fertilizer from any of the depots,” said Rotich.
However, only a registered farmer, who has received an e-voucher is eligible to get the subsidized fertilizer.
Edward Sawe, the Uasin Gishu County Executive Committee Member (CECM) for Agriculture, Agribusiness, Livestock and Fisheries says that 98,000 farmers in the county have been registered, so far.
He however appealed to those yet to be registered to do so.
“I would like to appeal to farmers who are so far not registered to register because they will get the fertilizers they are asking for,” the CECM said.
No DAP
Further, the Agriculture Executive asked farmers to use the types of fertilizers that the government has availed for them.
In the past, farmers in the county have been using DAP for planting, but in the current planting season, it has not been provided due to what he said was high soil acidity.
“Farmers should not worry because what is available now is ideal for the soil of this region,” Sawe said.
The planting fertilizer the government is selling to farmers in the North Rift region is Yara Miller’s Microp Blended Planting Fertilizer and KynoMaizeic containing NPK.
Stores closer to farmers
Meanwhile, as part of an effort to save farmers’ huge transport costs, the county government says it has partnered wot NCPB to store some of the fertilizer in their stores.
According to the CECM, the county has at least 5 stores that will now be used as picking point facilities for the fertilizers.
The stores are capable of holding up to 6,000 bags of fertilizers.
