- Hundreds of Migori farmers are flocking to NCPB depots to buy subsidised fertiliser and certified maize seeds ahead of the expected short rains.
- NCPB says it has adequate fertiliser and seed stocks, urging farmers to buy only from authorised depots as concerns emerge over middlemen and limited DAP supplies.
- Farmers hope timely rains and access to subsidised inputs will boost maize production and help recover from last season’s poor harvest.
Hundreds of Migori farmers are rushing to National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots for subsidised fertiliser and certified maize seeds ahead of the expected short rains.
The farmers are racing to secure farm inputs early in a bid to plant on time, avoid a repeat of last season’s poor harvests and improve food security.
The surge in demand follows weather forecasts indicating that rainfall is expected within the coming days, prompting many farmers to prepare their land and purchase essential inputs before the planting season begins.
Most of the farmers, particularly maize growers, said they were determined to avoid the heavy losses experienced during the previous season when prolonged dry spells and the early end of the rains led to widespread crop failure.
Long queues were reported at NCPB depots in Kehancha, Ntimaru, Migori Town and Awendo as farmers turned up in large numbers to purchase government-subsidised inputs. Many praised the subsidy programme, saying it had significantly lowered production costs and enabled small-scale farmers to access quality fertiliser and certified seeds.
Awendo Silo Manager Gilbert Rotich said the board had sufficient fertiliser and seed supplies to meet farmers’ needs.
“We have enough stocks, and every genuine farmer will receive the required inputs before the rain sets in,” Rotich said.
Some farmers, however, raised concerns over the limited availability of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertiliser, which has traditionally been preferred for maize planting. They said they were instead being supplied with alternative fertiliser brands recommended by the Ministry of Agriculture
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Rotich restated that all fertilisers distributed through NCPB met the required quality standards and warned farmers against purchasing inputs from unauthorised dealers.
“Selling substandard or uncertified fertiliser is not our business because it would undermine the government’s efforts to improve food security and agricultural productivity,” he said.
Rotich attributed the congestion at the depots to many farmers delaying the purchase of farm inputs until the rains were imminent.
“These fertilisers have been available in our stores since May. Many farmers postponed buying them because planting was not an immediate priority. Now everyone is coming at the same time,” he explained.
He added that the subsidised fertiliser programme is closely monitored to ensure that only genuine farmers benefit. According to Rotich, every farmer must present an authorisation letter or voucher issued by the Ministry of Agriculture indicating the acreage under cultivation and the quantity of fertiliser allocated.
“We are guided by official documents from the Ministry of Agriculture on the quantity each farmer qualifies to receive. Anyone who purchases subsidised fertiliser and later repackages or resells it at inflated prices is committing an offence,” he warned.
Some farmers alleged that middlemen were taking advantage of the long queues by buying subsidised fertiliser and reselling it at higher prices. They called on the government to strengthen monitoring and deploy more staff to NCPB depots to improve service delivery during peak demand.
Despite the challenges, farmers expressed optimism that timely rainfall, adequate fertiliser supplies and improved access to certified seeds would contribute to a better maize harvest this season, helping Migori County recover from the devastating crop losses recorded last year.
By Bernard Magada
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