Hasten payment for maize deliveries, urge growers

Maize farmers in the North Rift have asked the government to speed up payment for their produce delivered to the National Cereals and Produce Board depots to enable them prepare for the next planting season in time.

The board is now receiving maize from growers in the North Rift, almost a month after purchasing was put on hold due to funds shortage.

The board is, however, not making payments because it has not received extra funding from the government.

Kenya Farmers Association Director Kipkorir Menjo said many producers from the region were not in a position to acquire farm inputs due to non-payment.
“Many farmers cannot settle loans, which they had taken from Agricultural Finance Corporation and other financial institutions, yet the interest is accumulating. The government should not frustrate farmers due to uncalled for delays,” Mr Menjo told the Nation.

PURCHASE ALL THE MAIZE

He said farmers in the country’s grain basket wanted the government to release an extra Sh3 billion to purchase all the maize in the region and pay for subsidised seed before the approaching new season starts.

A spot check by the Nation at Eldoret NCPB depot found more than 70 lorries on a queue stretching three kilometres, waiting to deliver produce.

Growers said the long lines were making them incur extra costs, with those who had hired lorries to ferry their harvest the most affected as they pay Sh2,000 a day for a lorry and another Sh500 each for a driver and turn boy.

The board has bought a million bags of maize and says it will buy more if it receives more funding from the government.