Subsidised fertiliser is expected in the country between next month and June.
The government has completed the tendering process to purchase Sh2 billion worth of the input.
The fertiliser was meant to cushion farmers against high costs, but the government delayed in buying the commodity for the planting season which has started.
Agriculture Chief Administrative Secretary Andrew Tuimur said the government will buy 668,000 bags of 50kg ( 33,400 tonnes) through open tender for CAN and planting fertiliser.
“Open tendering means anybody is eligible to import the fertiliser as long as they qualify. However, farmers will not be able to access planting fertiliser as most farmers in the Rift Valley will start planting as soon as the rains start,” he said.
Tuimur said the consignment will get into the country between May and June, and farmers will get top dressing fertiliser.
The planting fertiliser will be carried forward to the next short rains season.
The CAS said initially the government had planned to purchase 3.3 million of 50kg bags of fertiliser for this year's long rains planting season. However, the input was not bought because of budgetary constraints.
In October last year, the Agriculture ministry started processing a Cabinet memo to request the approval of an additional Sh3.68 billion for subsidy fertiliser procurement.
The approval was given on 22 November. Of the 3.3 million bags, the ministry orderered local blends from AGPO firms totalling 635,000 bags of 50kg.
This is what is currently being sold to farmers for Sh1,800. The National Cereals and Produce Board had another 407,959 bags of assorted fertiliser in their stores that was carried forward from last season.
NCPB managing director Albin Sang confirmed the 635,000 bags entered the country three weeks ago and was delivered directly to depots.
Sang said the 407,959 bags are remnants of last year's assorted fertiliser for coffee and maize farmers. DAP is selling at Sh1,800, the 2323 fertiliser variety is selling at Sh1,700, while top dressing fertiliser will go for Sh1,300.
“The fertiliser may not be enough so counties are looking into what is available in the depots within their areas. Some depots like Moi's Bridge will share the commodity among farmers from Kitale, Trans Nzoia, Uasin Gishu, Kakamega and Bungoma,” Sang said.
He said counties are distributing the fertiliser to farmers through cooperatives while others are vetting individual farmers afresh.
