Leaders and farmers from Nandi County have petitioned the government to review maize prices, terming the set minimum producer price too low due to the high cost of production.
Led by Nandi Senator Samson Cherargei, they said the Kes 4,000 per 90-kg bag of maize offered by the government was low.
Speaking in Kapsabet, the Senator stated that farming is a business, and all costs must be considered before a price is declared.
Further, Cherargei stated that they want fair prices for the commodity so that farmers can profit.
“The government should ensure fair pricing of maize so that farmers can reap maximum returns. Producer price should not be below Kes 5,500,” Cherargei said.
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The Senator added that since all other cereals are packaged in a 50-kg bag, the same should be applied to maize production so that even if farmers decide to go with the state price, they will not incur losses.
On the other hand, farmers said that although the government lowered production costs through subsidized fertilizer, the increase in fuel prices escalated the cost of production.
“The government, before announcing new prices, should use agricultural extension officers to determine the cost of production by factoring in seeds, lease of land, chemicals used, harvesting costs, transportation, and shelling, among others. Producing a 90-kg bag of maize is very expensive,” said Amos Korir from Mosop Sub County.
Maize harvesting in the region has started in earnest, with farmers calling on the government to provide them with dryers before the start of El Nino rains.
The government is projecting a bumper harvest of 44 million bags of maize, more than 23 million from high-producing counties in the North Rift region.
The Ministry of Agriculture has attributed the good harvest to government interventions through fertilizer subsidies.
