The government has ruled out any increase in maize prices for farmers at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), where they will continue to receive Sh4,000 per 90kg bag.
Speaking at the NCPB depot in Eldoret on Friday, Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Rono stated that the current price is the most profitable for farmers. “That is the best price we are offering, and we know it’s very profitable. However, farmers have the option of selling their produce to the NCPB or finding other buyers who may offer better prices,” he said.
Rono noted that farmers had already sold more than 700,000 bags of maize to the NCPB, for which they had been paid over Sh1.5 billion. He assured those yet to be paid that they would receive their money before the year ends.
This season, Rono said, farmers are expected to harvest over 70 million bags of maize, the highest yield ever in the country. “This is mainly due to the government’s provision of subsidized fertilizer and ensuring the availability of high-quality seeds,” said Rono, who was accompanied by Uasin Gishu Governor Jonathan Bii.
He emphasized that farmers are still welcome to sell their produce to the NCPB. Additionally, Rono announced that starting in November, the government would distribute subsidized fertilizer across the country to help farmers prepare for the next planting season.
“We are already in the tendering process to find those who will assist in distributing the fertilizer,” he said, assuring farmers that the fertilizer would be of high quality.
The PS also mentioned that the government had distributed 100 dryers across the country to reduce the 30% post-harvest losses that farmers typically face each year. He encouraged farmers to embrace crop diversification as a way to improve soil fertility and increase their income. Sunflower seeds, he said, would be distributed to farmers in 41 counties.
Rono further stated that all farm inputs would be made available at the same depots to minimize the costs farmers incur when sourcing from different locations. He added that the government is also supporting farmers in adopting smart farming techniques in response to climate change, urging them to mechanize their farming activities.
He said the government is taking similar measures to support tea and sugarcane farmers
