All subsidized fertilizers should be distributed to farmers by mid of March this year, Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua has said.
The DP, who was in Mombasa to inspect fertilizer in several warehouses in the region, said they have agreed that farmers need to be supported to increase their crop production, adding that this will automatically bring down the cost of food.
Gachagua said they have ordered at least six million bags of subsidized fertilizers.
He said that all the companies that were given a nod to import the fertilizer, must ensure that it is supplied to farmers, not later than March 25.
“The work is going on, we have agreed that the companies will move into day and night shifts so that we pack more fertilizers. We are in discussion with Kenya Revenue Authority and transporters in order to ensure that transportation of this commodity is done very efficiently,” he said.
The farmers will access fertilizers at the cost of Sh3, 500.
“I want to tell farmers that in the maize planting counties now fertilizer is available. Let them take advantage of this intervention by the government and purchase fertilizer so that we can increase production,” he said.
The subsidized fertilizer is currently available in Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, Nandi, Kericho, Bomet and Trans Nzoia counties, according to the government.
Gachagua said that there is a deficit of 10 million bags of fertilizer every year, therefore, the government plans to bridge that gap in the next two years.
“I want to say that we are not sleeping, we are working. We are working on practical programs. I have heard some people say that we are not working we are just talking, this is work, real work, this is good work and practical intervention,” said the DP.
“Those who are saying that there is no work going on are the ones who tampered with the economy of the country and loot the country’s wealth. If those people had not sabotaged this program of subsidizing fertilizer, this country would not be where we are.”
In a thinly-veiled attack, Gachagua accused the previous regime of President Uhuru Kenyatta of playing politics with the issue of fertilizer.
“They thought that they were punishing William Ruto, who hails from the agricultural-rich area, but in the process, they ended up punishing farmers and the country became food-deficient whereas the cost of maize flour shot from Sh90 to Sh230,” said the DP.
“Those people have no moral authority to tell us anything about work. I want to give a commitment on behalf of the government that we are going to down prices of maize flour.”
He said the price of a two-kilogramme packet of maize flour has been brought down to Sh130 and in a few months’ time the price fall to Sh140 and ultimately down to Sh100.
