Trans Nzioa Farmers Decry Low Maize Prices As Harvest Season Begins: "10 Bags Can't Raise KSh 30k"

• Maize farmers are frustrated by low prices, with 90kg bags selling for KSh 2,500, the lowest in four years, far below last year's KSh 4,200 per bag from NCPB
• Farmers, like Stephen Mugo from Keiyo ward, are worried about their inability to recoup farming costs and are calling for government intervention to cushion them
• Chesang Melly from Kwanza urged farmers not to sell to brokers at throw-away prices and wait for the NCPB to announce better prices
• Maize traders, such as Eunice Wamboi, are struggling with low supply due to farmers' reluctance to sell, which might drive prices up if shortages continue

Didacus Malowa, a journalist at TUKO.co.ke, brings over three years of experience covering politics and current affairs in Kenya.

Trans Nzoia - Maize farmers have lamented over poor maize prices as they start harvesting season.

Currently, 90kgs of dry maize is trading at KSh 2,500, which farmers say is too low.

They say they can not pay back the investment they made in January and are now calling for the government to cushion them from the current poor prices.

TUKO.co.ke has established the current market price for 90kgs of maize as the lowest in four years.

Last year, the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) bought maize from farmers at KSh 4,200 per 90kgs bag.

However, this year, NCPB is yet to announce new prices for maize. According to farmers, the silence has brought fear of selling maize at a throw price.

Stephen Mugo, a maize farmer in the Keiyo ward, Kwanza constituency, noted that if the government can not intervene, then most farmers might be convinced to try another option in farming.

"It is serious. Right now, brokers are buying out maize at a throw-away price. Right now, even 10 bags can not give you KSh 30,000. This government has made everything more costly to an expense of farming," Said Mugo

How are Trans Nzoia farmers struggling

While in Kobos, still in Kwanza, Chesang Melly has requested farmers not to sell maize to brokers and hold on a bit for NCPB to announce new maize prices.

"We should not forget that ploughing farm was KSh 3,500 up to KSh. 4,000 in March, let's remember that, remember the cost of fertiliser is still unbearable to farmers if we consider that we can push the government to caution us from low prices," he said

Maize traders have also complained of low supply as a result of unwillingness of farmers to sale maize due to low income from the Kenyans most preferred stable food.

Eunice Wamboi, a maize trader in Kitale town, says there has been a low supply of maize, forcing them to incur extra costs to go to remote areas at least to buy from small farmers

"Harvesting season has started very low this year. We don't have enough supply, people are not selling maize, and most of them are complaining of poor prices, as a result, we have been forced to go into villages to buy maize, which is not even enough, if it continues like this market demand might force the prices to go up," explained Wamboi.

Kenyan farmers raise concerns over fake fertiliser

In a separate incident, TUKO.co.ke reported that former Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi acknowledged the concerns about fake fertiliser but had not received any formal complaints.

KEBS accused a regional fertiliser merchant, SBL-Innovate Manufacturer Limited, of fraud for supplying substandard fertiliser to NCPB.

Speaking in a public meeting, Kirinyaga Women Representative Njeri Maina said that there are distributors selling fake fertilisers to farmers and called on the president to take action.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, current affairs journalist and copy editor at TUKO.co.ke.