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He said that subsidized fertilizer will soon retail at Sh3,500 per 50kg bag.
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According to the CS, the farmers incur about 30 per cent in the cost of production.
Image: LABAN WALLOGA
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi on Wednesday received a shipment of 34,400 metric tons of powdered fertilizer from Russia.
Speaking at the Port in Mombasa on Wednesday, Linturi reiterated the government’s commitment to subsidizing the cost of production for farmers.
He said that subsidized fertilizer will soon retail at Sh3,500 per 50kg bag.
According to the CS, the farmers incur about 30 per cent in the cost of production.
“This is a great step towards addressing the cost of production to our farmers. The Kenyan Kwanza government is committed to lowering production costs,” said Linturi.
“We are committed as a government to ensure that a bag of fertilizer will cost not more than Sh3,500.”
Linturi was accompanied by Russian Ambassador to Kenya Dmitry Maksimychev, representatives from the Kenya National Trading Corporation and Kenya Ports Authority (KPA) officials.
The donation comprised Potash, Urea and NPK.
Linturi said that the fertilizer will be used as raw material and will be blended to produce more fertilizers.
“This donation will also go a long way in supporting our subsidy program. From this consignment, we expect to blend it to produce an additional 60,000 metric tons of different types of fertilizers,” Linturi said.
The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Cooperatives is currently implementing the presidential directive on the provision of subsidized fertilizer to farmers across the country.
The program aims at increasing food production to ensure that Kenya remains food secure. A bag of 50 kg is expected to retail at Sh3,500 down from the current prices of between sh6,000 to sh6,500.
The government commenced the program last year targeting some 6.2 million farmers ahead of the planting season.
Image: LABAN WALLOGA
The fertilizer is produced through the Kenya national trading Company (KNTC) and is distributed across the country through NCPB depots.
“Since the program began, I can guarantee you that there is no shortage of top-dressing fertilizer at the moment,” he said.
About 2.8 million bags of planting and top-dressing fertilizers have been redeemed by farmers drawn from 34 counties.
The CS further said that there was a need for concerted efforts from all stakeholders to ensure that Kenya attains nutritional and food security.
The focus, he said, was now on how to manage post-harvest loss and storage.
The Russian ambassador to Kenya Dmitry said that his country will continue supporting Kenya to become more economically resilient.
“Russia believes that healthy nutrition is an integral part of the human right to life. Unfortunately, the small farmers of the developing world take the heaviest toll during the turbulent era and we are proud to reach those in need and alleviate the risks of hunger,” said Dmytri.
The consignment, he said, is part of Uralchem – Uralkali Group’s commitment to donate a total of 300,000 tons of mineral fertilizers to developing countries aimed to prevent crop loss and shield millions of people from the threat of starvation.
The World Food Program chattered the vessel that transported the fertilizer to Kenya.