Government Announces New Price Of A Bag Of 90kg Maize To Retail At Kshs. 4000
Some of the photos on the 2nd day of Trans Nzoia County Agricultural Show ASK. PS State Department Of Micro, Medium And Small Enterprises, Susan Mang'eni, Dr. Paul Rono PS state department of crops development, Kenya seed company chairperson Ngirici Purity, Kenya seed director Bernard Wambwa other leaders inspecting the exhibitors and learning booth.
By Sefu Sabila
Worth Noting:
- “As we put that pricey, we are also looking at the final price of unga on our shelves, an increase in the price of maize per sack will directly translate to high cost of unga and bring about economic depression to Kenyans.” PS Rono further explained.
- However, Governor George Natembeya called upon the government to review the stated price to also benefit the farmers, and provide market to farmers to reduce manipulation from cartels who approach the farmers’ individual. The governor affirming the words of CEC agriculture in Trans Nzoia Ms. Phanice Khatundi, the farmers lose 30% of their produce to cartels
PS Crop development Dr. Paul Rono officially opened the Kitale ASK National agricultural show in Kitale on Thursday. The PS was in company off fellow PS statedepartment of micro, medium and small enterprise Susan Mang’eni,
The PS confirmed the government price of a bag of maize from farmers as Kshs. 4000, According to PS Rono, the government settled on the amount after several considerations and review, including the government’s move to subsidize fertilizer and seeds.
“After looking into all considerations and attributes which we call it the input price to produce one sack of maize, we saw Kshs. 4000 is sufficient. Although there might be reviews in case the government sees the amount is not enough. Because we have subsidized fertilizer and seeds, I believe that price is fit for the time being.” PS Drm Rono said.
According to the PS, the cost equates the cost also incurred by the farmer to produce the bag of maize; he further said the cost of maize was agreed upon to cushion Kenya against the current high cost of unga and living, saying a rise in the price of maize will affect the cost of unga, to higher amounts, with many Kenyans already struggling to make ends meet.
“As we put that pricey, we are also looking at the final price of unga on our shelves, an increase in the price of maize per sack will directly translate to high cost of unga and bring about economic depression to Kenyans.” PS Rono further explained.
However, Governor George Natembeya called upon the government to review the stated price to also benefit the farmers, and provide market to farmers to reduce manipulation from cartels who approach the farmers’ individual. The governor affirming the words of CEC agriculture in Trans Nzoia Ms. Phanice Khatundi, the farmers lose 30% of their produce to cartels.
“We lose about 30 percent of what we produce to cartels in the region. If we can save this, then protests and high cost of unga will be a thing if the past. We also urge the government to look for market for us to save our farmers to cushion them from manipulation of buyers wo visit them at home. We are positive of the aggregated industrial park at Kwanza will help us avoid this manipulation come next year.” Said Governor Natembeya.
In spite of the county experiencing a bumper harvest this year, 40% of the harvest is anticipated to go into a lose following the ongoing El Nino rains experienced in the county. The government called on the national government to assist in providing drying and storage strictures in the region.
“Despite our blessing of a bumper maize harvest this year, with 7 million bags, we anticipate post-harvest losses of over 40% due to the prolonged rains. We call upon the national government to assist with drying and storage infrastructure and encourage our farmers to adopt the warehouse receipting system to minimize these projected losses.” Governor Natembeya explained.
Speaking after the opening, PS micro, medium and small enterprises Susan Mang’eni assured the farmers of government support in offering financial support and market to farmers. She said the government aims at raising those at the lower level of the pyramid as per the bottom up economic model with the mpesa mfukoni to every Kenyan.
“As a department, we are working on a business model, where farmers can access financing and specific financing depending on the crops they are farming. We are also going to work out on the market, so they can start counting money in their pockets.” PS Susan Mang’eni said.
The county also benefited from the government program as one of the 24 counties choose to pilot the promotion of the sunflower value chain. The board chairman Agriculture and Food Authority AFA Hon Cornelly Serem flagged of the distribution on Tuesday at Kenya seed company grounds Kitale.
The count government has put aside over 20,000 acres of land under sunflower during the current short rain season, which will see more than 90,000 small scale farmers benefiting. The county boss also encouraged farmers to embrace crop diversification to strengthen the farming entrerprise, the county dominantly has 80% of farmers practicing maize farming.
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