The government through the Ministry of Agriculture on Tuesday, September 20, released Ksh3.5 billion to cushion farmers against the high cost of fertiliser in the country.
In a statement, Agriculture Principal Secretary Francis Owino said the move follows a directive issued by President William Ruto last week.
The Head of State had during his inauguration at Kasarani Stadium promised to avail 1.4 million bags of fertilizer, which would sell for Ksh3,500 each, compared to the prevailing price of Ksh6,500.
Cheap fertiliser
Owino noted that the subsidised fertiliser will be first availed to farmers in regions experiencing the short rains.
"To actualize the Presidential directive, the subsidized fertilizer programme will start with counties undertaking planting during the short rains season of 2022. The Government has availed Kshs. 3.55Billion to subsidize 71,000 Mt (1.42 million x 50 Kg bags) of fertilizer for growing food crops during the short rains season. This quantity will support cultivation of approximately 1.4 million acres," Owino said.
The fertiliser will be availed through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) Depots and sub-depots countrywide. Each farmer will be allowed to purchase a maximum of 100 bags.
"To ensure efficient delivery and effective control mechanisms are in place, the fertilizers will be availed through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) Depots and sub-depots countrywide, effective 19th September 2022. Individual farmers will be entitled to a maximum of 100 x 50 kg bags of fertilizers."
The new prices are as follows: DAP (Ksh3,500) CAN (Ksh2,875) UREA (Ksh3,500) NPK (Ksh3,275) MOP (Ksh1,775) and Sulphate of Ammonia (Ksh2,220).
Over the weekend, Ruto said his administration will invest in producers, terming subsidies on consumption as unsustainable.
"We are not going to be subsidizing consumption. That is why we are going slow on the matter of subsidizing consumption. We are going to work and support producers," he said while addressing a Kenya Kwanza parliamentary group meeting in Naivasha on Saturday.
"The Unga subsidy that was done, I was being briefed by the Ministry of Agriculture for one month, the taxpayer was asked to pay Ksh7 billion for the unga that cost Ksh100 which was nowhere in the first place. Only few people laid hold of it. If we had spent Sh7 billion shillings in fertilizer it would have been a different ball game."
