Over 30 tons of fertilizer arrive in Mombasa in readiness for next planting season
Agriculture minister Willy Bett flags off one of the 10 trucks loaded with DAP fertiliser at the Export Trading Group godowns in Miritini, Mombasa, on January 23, 2017. The fertiliser will be sold to farmers at a subsidised price of Sh1,800 per 90kg bag. PHOTO | LABAN WALLOGA | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- The trucks were flagged off by Agriculture minister Willy Bett destined for NCPB stores in Mwea and Eldoret.
- Mr Bett said it was imported under the government subsidised fertilizer programme.
- More fertilizer is expected at the port of Mombasa early February.
- The minister said stringent security measures will be put in place to protect the fertilizer.
Fertiliser worth Sh5.03 billion has started arriving at the port of Mombasa as the April planting season nears.
The 34,232 metric tons of di-ammonium phosphate (DAP) fertiliser that arrived Monday aboard MV Lowland Sky from Saud Arabia was later loaded onto 10 trucks at the Export Trading Group stores at Bonje, Miritini.
The trucks were then flagged off by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett, destined for the Mwea and Eldoret National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPD) stores.
Mr Bett said the fertiliser had arrived in good time before the long rains, expected from March, start, unlike in 2016 when it arrived late.
The fertiliser comes at a time when the country is experiencing a prolonged drought following reduced rains.
Mr Bett said it was imported under the government subsidised fertiliser programme and will be sold at Sh1,800 per 90kg bag.
More fertiliser is expected at the port of Mombasa in early February, said Mr Bett.
“This one is DAP for planting and will sell at Sh1,800 per bag. We expect Top dressing fertilizer from early next month which will be sold to farmers at Sh1,500 per bag,” he said.
SECURITY MEASURES
The minister said stringent security measures will be put in place to protect the fertiliser.
In 2016, unscrupulous businessmen diverted fertiliser meant for farmers.
Mr Bett said 20 per cent of the fertiliser will be supplied to large-scale farmers and the rest to small-scale farmers.
“Every measure has been put in place to stop any monkey business this time round. We experienced some cases last year where some fertiliser was diverted.
“This led to the sacking of 26 staff of NCPB. We shall be very ruthless [with] anyone who tries to interfere with the process,” he said.
The measures include a unique secret security feature in every bag and making it mandatory for transporters to have tracking systems installed in their vehicles which will monitor the movement of the trucks.
Export Trading Group Country Director Shem Odhiambo said within five months, all the fertiliser stored in their go-down at Bonje will have been transported to upcountry destinations and to farmers.
