The government has rubbished claims of fake fertiliser being sold to farmers in the market.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has insisted that the government is supplying certified and standard fertiliser through its subsidised programme.
"There is no fake subsidised fertiliser being sold in the market. The government is supplying quality and standard fertiliser to farmers across the country," Linturi said.
Speaking when he toured the Elburgon National and Cereal Produce Board depot on Tuesday, Linturi urged farmers not to turn themselves into experts and make assumptions about the quality of fertiliser.
"Our farmers should desist from physical observation of fertiliser and making assumptions of its quality; those individuals doubting the quality of the fertiliser should avail it to laboratories for assessments," Linturi said.
The CS maintained that the government will not relent in operations to weed out culprits who have an aim to deter the government's fertiliser subsidy programme.
"The country has enough fertiliser. I have been to this depot here and there is enough fertiliser that I have seen," the CS affirmed.
There have been reports that some farmers have allegedly bought fertiliser from public stores which is said to be mixed with stones, a claim the government has denied
"The fertiliser the government is supplying has been tested and certified by the laboratories. It is therefore not true that fertiliser being supplied is of low quality," he said.
The CS’ sentiments were echoed by his Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh, who also maintained the quality standards of the fertiliser.
"Any farmer who has doubts about the commodity should seek the help of agricultural experts in determining its quality," he said.
Linturi and Rono said the country is boasting of a bounty harvest of 60 million maize bags during last year’s subsidy fertiliser program.
This, they said, was despite criticism that the fertiliser brands distributed that time of the year were of low quality.
"Things will not be different this year following the same standard of the fertiliser," Rono said.
On Tuesday, Linturi said the government’s inputs programme will incorporate subsidised seeds in the coming days to boost the country's food security.
Other leaders who accompanied the duo included Molo MP Kuria Kimani, Njoro MP Charity Kathambi and Kuresoi South's Joseph Tonui.
The leaders lauded the commitment of the Kenya Kwanza government to sustaining food production while lowering the cost of production.
