Protesting small scale farmers wait to collect bags of fertiliser at the
National Cereals and Produce Board depot in Nakuru on March 10, 2014.
The first phase of the construction of a Sh103 billion fertiliser plant
starts Friday in Eldoret in a move that is expected to bring down the
cost of one of the key farm inputs. PHOTO/SULEIMAN MBATIAH
NATION
The first phase of the construction of a Sh103 billion
fertiliser plant starts Friday in Eldoret in a move that is expected to
bring down the cost of one of the key farm inputs.
The
factory, funded through a public-private partnership between the
government and Toyota Tsusho East Africa, is meant to streamline
manufacturing, supply and distribution of the vital farming ingredient.
“We
expect the cost of production to drastically reduce upon the completion
of the local plant. It is estimated that 40 per cent of the cost of
fertiliser is due to freight and port handling charges,” said the Vision
2030 Delivery Secretariat acting director, Prof Gituro Wainaina.
The event will be attended by Deputy President William Ruto.
Uasin
Gishu County Governor Jackson Mandago said the factory would solve the
inconsistent supply of fertiliser and prohibitive cost for many farmers.
He said this might be the solution to food insecurity that threatens an estimated 10 million people.
He said this might be the solution to food insecurity that threatens an estimated 10 million people.
On
Wednesday, the principal secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Ms
Sicily Kariuki, said farmers should expect to receive fertiliser for the
short rains season by next month.
Ms Kariuki, who was speaking at Kilimo House, Nairobi, said procurement of the fertiliser was going on.
“Distribution
of fertiliser has commenced from the last financial year. We are in the
process of procuring additional fertiliser for the short rains season,
which is again towards the mid-October,” she said.
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