Farmers hoard maize in hope of high prices

Poor prices have forced farmers in the North Rift to hoard millions of bags of maize.

The National Cereals and Produce Board has bought only three million bags of the grain for the Strategic Grain Reserve against national demand of more than six million.

Farmers are holding on to their crop despite an increase of maize price to between Sh2,200 and Sh2,500 for a 90-kilogramme bag.

“I prefer to hold on to my stock as there is a likelihood of a poor harvest this season due to sporadic rainfall,” said Ms Lucy Kong’ato, who has 100 bags of maize.

Meanwhile, the cereals board has stepped up the supply of fertiliser in the North Rift.

Up to 12,250 bags of 50kg Di-Ammonium Phosphate have been delivered to Kitale and 7,800 to Moi’s Bridge.

But farmers complained that unscrupulous traders were selling fake fertiliser and seed.

“The government should seal these loopholes in agriculture or we will switch to more lucrative ventures,” said Mr Mathew Kiprotich, a Trans Nzoia farmer.

The growers said they wanted low interest loans and a revival of the Kenya Farmers Association, which would be the sole importer and distributor of inputs.

“This will cut out middlemen,” said Uasin Gishu farmer James Barno.

The Meteorological Department had predicted normal rainfall in Western, Rift Valley, central and parts of Eastern provinces, most of North Rift has not had any so far.

North Rift produced 12 million bags of maize last year against the country’s Strategic Grain Reserve of four million bags.

The region also produced 3.7 million bags of wheat valued at Sh6.3 billion against national demand of eight million bags.