The National Cereals and Produce Board is yet to receive Sh2.1 billion from the Treasury to pay maize farmers.
DP William Ruto promised the money would be paid out within this week, but anxious farmers say they were yet to receive the money.
“We have been told to wait because the money is still being processed. We have been patient for the almost a year now and all we want is the money,” said spokesman of the farmers Benjamin Tallam.
Tallam said they want the NCPB to clear the payments and buy their new harvest at better prices.
MPs from the Rift Valley region have also asked the board to clear the payments and reopen its stores in readiness to buy new stocks from farmers.
The board is now expected to pay out the money to farmers next week.
“We want the board to buy the maize at a price of Sh 4,000 per 90kg bag,” said Moiben MP Sila Tiren.
Tiren, along with Nandi Hills MP Alfred Keter, are scheduled to meet with farmers next week in Eldoret to discuss the new price of Sh2,300 per bag set by the government.
The maize farmers in the Rift Valley region have teamed up with governors and MPs to reject the new price. The farmers have planned a crisis meeting in Eldoret on Monday to push for better prices.
Tiren says the Strategic Food Reserves Fund should review the price set last week. He says farmers have incurred heavily in farm inputs and will not make any profits with lower price of maize.
Director of the Kenya Farmers Association Kipkorir Menjo also said they would meet with the governors and other stakeholders to discuss the maize pricing issue urgently.
“It’s ironical that while prices of all farm inputs have gone up the price of maize which is the end product is forced to go down,” said Menjo.
Governors Jackson Mandago of Uasin Gishu and Patrick Khaemba of Trans Nzoia said the decision to set the prices at Sh2,300 was made by the Strategic Grain Reserves Trust Fund without consultation.
“We will also meet next week to discuss this matter and find a solution that will help our farmers,” said Mandago. Mandago and Khaemba said the task force on the maize crisis would have its input in determing the new maize prices.