By Peter Ochieng
Farmers across the country have been assured of a steady supply of fertiliser across the current planting season.
President William Ruto on Monday said he is satisfied with the ongoing distribution of fertilisers, in various parts of the country.
He however noted that the process must be accelerated, due to increased rains across the country, adding that there is sufficient stock to meet the farmer demands for planting fertiliser.
He spoke on Monday when he made an impromptu visit, at the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depot in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu county.
“We are reducing the cost of farm inputs so that we can tackle hunger,” he said.
The Head of State warned that those behind the sale of the fake fertilisers, will face the full force of the law.
The President noted that he will keep pushing for the reduction of fertiliser prices, so as to make farming more profitable.
“And we do not want to confine this to maize cultivation. We are broadening our range of crops so that our earnings can go up.”
“It is possible for agriculture to drive our industrialisation and spur our exports,” he added.
A 50 kilogram of fertiliser is going for Sh2,500 under the government’s fertiliser subsidy program, down from at least Sh6,000 when former President Uhuru Kenyatta left office in September, 2022.
Last week, the High Court issued an order stopping the police from arresting and detaining regional fertiliser merchant Josiah Kariuki, over the reported fake fertiliser scam.
Justice Diana Kavedza issued the order following, an application made in court by Kariuki through his lawyers led by Danstan Omari.
Kariuki is the Chief Executive officer of Silica Booster Limited Innovate Manufacturers (SBL).
“I believe I’m likely to be arrested due to a well-calculated scheme by fertiliser barons in the country,” he told the court through his advocates.
Justice Kavedza granted him an anticipatory bail of Sh100,000.
