Farmers have welcomed the order by President Uhuru Kenyatta to the National Cereals and Produce Board to open its depots and buy maize at Sh2,500 per bag.
The farmers had earlier rejected the price of Sh2,300 per bag announced by the government.
However, the farmers’ representatives led by Christopher Kolum and Kipkorir Menjo said they were happy with Uhuru’s order as it would save them from financial problems once NCPB starts the purchase.
“We only request the President to order NCPB to buy more than four million bags of maize and not two million as planned,” Kolum said.
He said farmers had harvested more than 42 million bags last year and the government should buy more so that middlemen do not exploit them.
President Uhuru ordered the immediate purchase but only from genuine farmers after vetting.
Menjo said Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia alone had produced more than 10 million bags and farmers would lack markets if the government only takes two million bags.
He said payments by the board should also be prompt.
“We have farmers who delivered maize last year and are yet to be paid. They should be given money as soon as possible,” he said.
The NCPB should also consider paying farmers a rebate of Sh500 extra to cater for costs of transport to buying centers, he said.
The farmers want the board to open as many buying centers as possible especially in rural areas to enable them to easily access the buying centers and cut costs of transport,” Kolum said.
Farmers have also welcomed the move by the board to take back its stores that had been hired by private individuals and millers.
It has ordered the millers to vacate from stores which they have been leasing for 10 years.
The board’s stores in Eldoret, Kitale, Mois Bridge and other areas are packed with more than 3.5 million bags of maize bought under the Strategic Grain Reserves Programme.