Joseph Ng’etich, the Deputy Director of Agriculture, Crops Resources and Plant Protection Services Division, Akira Wada, the Chief Executive Officer, Toyota Tsusho Fertiliser Africa factory, Uasin Gishu County and Ignatius Kirimi, the Production General Manager, Toyota Tsusho Fertilizer Africa Ltd, during Ng’etich’s visit at the factory earlier this year. FILE PHOTO | NATION MEDIA GROUP
The government-subsidised fertiliser distributed by the government through the National Cereals and Produce Board stores countrywide goes for Sh1,800 per bag.
Distributors will purchase the fertiliser at Sh2,800 from the factory and, in turn, sell it to farmers at Sh3,000.
The government had expected the Eldoret plant to cut the cost of fertiliser by about 40 per cent, or sell the input at less than Sh2,000 per bag, saving the government on subsidies.
Cereal farmers in the North Rift region have petitioned the government to intervene and have fertiliser manufactured by an Eldoret-based plant sold at lower rates.
They said the Sh3,000 charged by Toyota Tshusho Fertiliser Africa Ltd per 90-kilogramme bag is too high, and beyond their reach.
