Famers in agricultural counties of the North Rift, South Rift and Central Kenya can now access fertilizers for as low as Ksh254 per 50-kilogram bag.
This is after SBL Manufacturers, a company that manufactures organic fertilizers reduced the prices of their product to an all-time low, as a way of thanking Kenyans for a peaceful election period.
Joe Kariuki, one of the directors of the company says the move was reached as a way of giving back to society – by appreciating them for maintaining peace and unity before, during and after the August 9, 2022, general election.
“The election has been peaceful and we thought it was good we give back to the people as had there been violence, we would have been the first people to be affected since for us, we need to be on the ground and chaos would have affected us,” Kariuki told uasingishunews.co.ke in an exclusive interview.
The SBL Manufacturers director says following the peace that the country is enjoying, business is now doing even better than it was before the election.
Under the initiative, farmers can access the Ksh254 fertilizer through cooperative societies. This is also part of the company’s targeted efforts to play a part in the reviving of the once vibrant sector.
The company is also helping repaint farmers’ cooperatives societies structures in the regions they operate.
“Many farmers had not planted because of anxiety over the outcome of the elections but we hope with this offer, farmers can be able to plant now that it is the second season of planting in this region,” says the entrepreneur.
The initiative has already been rolled out in among others, Mt Elgon, Moiben and Ainabkoi.
Ksh254 for a bag of fertilizer
SBL Manufacturer’s organic fertilizers have been available at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depot, and farmers’ cooperative society with a 50-kg bag retailing at Ksh1,700.
However, a farmer can get the same bag at Ksh254 through the cooperative societies near them under the current offer.
“So far we have over 100 societies that we are working with,” said the SBL Manufacturers director. Some of the cooperatives include Nomorio and Moiben Farmers Co-Operative Societies.
At least 10,000 bags are targeted to be sold out to farmers under the initiative that is also aimed at helping the country be food secure.
“The moment we start, the program runs for two weeks then it goes back to normal price,” says Kariuki.
Both planting and top dressing fertilizers are available for farmers to purchase under the Ksh254 offer.
North Rift, South Rift and Central Kenya are regions considered the country’s food basket due to the high volumes of food they produce annually.
Farmers have however been facing a challenge over the high cost of farm inputs including fertilizers, which the Ksh254 offer from SBL Manufacturers will come as a sigh of relief to them.
