Ministry of Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mithika Linturi has dismissed assertions that consignments of fake fertilizers are being distributed under the government subsidy program.
Speaking when he appeared before the National Assembly Committee on Agriculture, he said the docket has only flagged substandard fertilizer.
He revealed that all distributed fertilizers met quality standards except those produced and distributed by KEL Chemicals under Kelphos Plus, Kelphos Gold, and NPK 10:26:10.
Further, he explained that among the 12 companies awarded the tender to supply the government fertilizer, one fell short of the requirements.
“Within our distribution network we don’t have a fertilizer that’s fake. What they have failed is the standard of the fertilizer which is + or -3.The problem can be corrected in the second phase of application.”
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However, he assured that recourse measures have been undertaken as only 3,000 bags of fertilizer distributed under KEL Chemicals failed on the necessary parameters.
“We can trace the farmers who used the product and to know where the fertilizer was delivered. We are ready to do the follow up and also recalled the product,” he explained.
“Our appeal to farmers is to return these fertilizer or we can advise them the recourse measure in the next application which is top dressing.”
Additionally, he called for the prosecution of the owners of SBL Innovate Manufacturers for distributing fake fertilizers to farmers through the National Cereal Produce Board (NCPB) infrastructure network.
Linturi told MPs that NCPB entered into a contract with SBL Innovate Manufacturers to supply the farming product he described as ‘soil conditioner’ for commercial interest as the agency doesn’t receive funding from the exchequer.
He also said that the Kenyan-based merchant belongs to jail for hoodwinking KEBS NCPB and taking advantage of farmers for selling fake fertilizer.
“Once you are caught pants down you must own up. The manufacturers having obtained the relevant certification from KEBS failed to be honest enough to avail the product in the market. This criminal, theft and this person belong to jail,” Linturi stated.
This is even as it emerged that SBL Innovate sold 70,142 bags of fake fertilizer through NCPB, which, upon surveillance, was found to be a diatomite mineral from Kariandusi.
The Agriculture CS emphasized that the scope of unveiling the truth on the fake fertilizer scandal now belongs to the investigative agencies to ensure SBL Manufacturers Innovate owners are brought to book.
“We have unscrupulous people who don’t want to conform to standards and give supply for certified products. This shouldn’t be confused to be government fertilizer subsidy and cause panic among farmers,” Linturi insisted.
