Maize farmers are demanding a meeting with Agriculture CS Peter Munya to discuss prices of the produce at the National Cereals and Produce Board.
The farmers have rejected the prices offered by the board, arguing that its too low for them to make any profits.
“We want Munya to visit this region so that we discuss with him the issue of maize prices, subsidies and other matters causing production of maize to drop," Kibet Maiyo, a farmers representative from Trans Nzoia, said.
The NCPB has said it will not increase maize prices any further but wants farmers to deliver their produce to its depots.
NCPB managing director Joseph Kimote said they are yet to receive deliveries as expected despite opening the depots almost a month ago.
The board increased maize prices in a bid to attract farmers to deliver their produce at the price that was announced three days ago.
The board had opened its depots last month to start maize purchases from farmers at Sh1,305 per 50kg bag but the farmers rejected the prices terming them too low and so far there had been no deliveries to the depots.
The board has now increased the prices to Sh1,500 per 50kg bag and Sh2,700 per 90kg.
“That price is what we can afford and we urge farmers to deliver their produce. We have very little trickling in," the CEO said.
Farmers in the region remain reluctant to sell their produce to the NCPB and want the maize prices increased to about sh 3,400 per 90kg bag.
“What the NCPB is offering is still quite low and, with that, we cannot make any profits from our farming activities,” Christopher Kolum said.
He said the board and the government should always consult farmers before setting maize prices to agree on the best way forward that would protect farmers and enable them produce more.
The board initially planned to buy 500,000 bags of the 50kg, but the board will now review the purchase at depots in major producing areas over time.
Moiben MP Sila Tiren, who is also the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture, said farmers would meet in the next few days to discuss the maize prices.
“We will meet with the farmers so that we hear their views again on the price issue," Tiren said.
Tiren said the price must be set with consideration to the cost of farming.
He further said President Uhuru Kenyatta should direct the NCPB to increase the prices and buy not less than two million bags from farmers in the region.
Kimote, on the other hand, said that NCPB was using its own commercial funding, not money from the government, to buy maize.
“We have reviewed the prices in consideration with view from the farmers and that is what we can do at the moment,” Kimote said.
Counties in the region have lamented that maize production was reducing every year because of challenges experienced by farmers, especially poor prices and lack of markets.
Kolum said they wanted better prices because the costs of farm inputs also remain high causing many farmers to reduce the acreage under maize produce every year.
(edited by Amol Awuor)
