Farmers protest over delayed fertilizer supply
Farmers in Uasin Gishu county yesterday held a peaceful demonstration in Eldoret town to protest over the delay of supply of subsidized fertilizer in the region despite it being a planting season.
Led by their chairman in the region Kipkorir Arap Menjo, the farmers claimed that out of the consignment of 800,000 that the government received at the port of Mombasa, only 2,000 bags of the fertilizer have been received in the county through the National cereals and produce board depot in Eldoret.
According to Menjo, the county requires at least 200,000 bags and they are disturbed with slow delivery where only two lorries are seen making deliveries at the national cereals and produce board.
“Is this government trying to promote hunger or what , we do not understand why this delivery is taking time yet we as farmers are supposed to be planting at this time of the season” says Menjo.
The farmers further said that cooperative societies that are supposed to receive the fertilizer and sell the commodity to the farmers are also yet to receive it from the cereals board.
They are now calling on deputy president William Ruto to intervene and ensure they get the supply of the fertilizer on time before the onset of the long rains.
“We are asking Deputy President William Ruto who happens to come from this region and who is also a farmer to ensure that we get fertilizer on time other than sending two lories in a day,” lamented Mark Tarus a farmer.
Most farmers in Uasin Gishu and other neighboring counties such as Nandi and Elgeyo Marakwet engage in maize and wheat farming in large scale whereby they depend on the government’s subsidized fertilizer through the NCPB depots in the region hence the delay is likely to affect their productivity a great deal.
