By Patricia Mollyne Mataga
Farmers who purchased substandard fertilizer from the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) have a reason to smile.
This is after the Ministry of Agriculture directed that each one them be compensated.
In a statement on Wednesday, NCPB said farmers who bought fertilizer from KEL Chemicals will be compensated.
The Kenya Bureau of Standards had a few weeks ago declared fertilizer from the company substandard.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi also presided other the closed of the company’s factory on Thika a few weeks ago.
“The National Cereals and Produce Board has begun to compensate farmers who bought substandard fertilizer,” the board said in a statement signed by Titus Maiyo on behalf of the Managing Director.
“This follows a directive from the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development that all farmers who bought KEL fertilizers compensated,” it added.
Farmers from several agricultural areas had complained of getting fake fertilizer from farmers.
Some of them had already asked that they be compensated.
The latest announcement comes days after the Law Society of Kenya threatened to sue the government over the fake fertilizer scam.
But according to NCPB, affected farmers will be required to first lodge formal complaints by filling a Claim Declaration Form.
The form will be provided at all NCPB depots and selling centres where they bought the fertilizer.
“They are also required to present their original national ID cards and evidence of purchase including the exhibits where applicable (for those who have not used the fertiliser),” the board said.
For farmers who have used the fertiliser and NCPB has verified that they procured from their stores, they will be issued with an equivalent amount of the top-dressing fertilizer.
“In the case of farmers who procured and have not utilized the fertilizer, they will be required to return the product to NCPB stores and be issued with equivalent amount of planting fertiliser,” the board said.
In addition, NCPB said farmers documentation must match with the existing records at their solos or depots.
Meanwhile, NCPB said it has distributed 3 million bags of planting and 300,000 top dressing fertilizer for the 2024 long rains season.