On Thursday, September 22, Kenya’s Deputy President Rigathi Gachagua officially flagged off subsidized fertilizers to farmers across the country.
Speaking at Harambee House Annex, Nairobi, the second in command announced that more than 1.4 million bags of subsidised fertilizer will be available in all National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots.
“Our first pronouncement was to lower fertiliser prices to set the pace for the implementation of this intervention dubbed the fertiliser subsidy programme. The National Treasury has already availed KSh 3.55 billion towards this intervention. Many will benefit from this,” Gachagua said.
Unlike the norm where Agriculture Cabinet Secretary must be present during the event, Kivumbi.co.ke has established that outgoing Agriculture CS Peter Munya was conspicuously missing.
Munya, a fierce critic of the now President William Ruto did not however reveal the reason why he gave the event a wide berth.
The subsidy and distribution programme was affected on Monday, September 19, after the National Treasury released KSh3.6 billion for subsidised fertilizer, in line with President William Ruto’s directive.
Two days before his swearing-in on Tuesday, September 13, President Ruto said he would announce new fertilizer prices after consulting various stakeholders.
Following the directive, the deputy president announced that CAN will now retail at KSh 2,875 up from KSh 6,000 while DAP which was almost KSh 7,000 will retail KSh 3,500.
UREA will cost farmers a paltry KSh 3,500, while MOP and Sulphate Ammonia will retail at KSh 3,275, KSh 1,775 and KSh 2,220 respectively.
Earlier this week, Agriculture Ministry Acting Principal Francis Owino said counties that are receiving short rains will be given the first priority.
“To actualize the presidential directive, the subsidized fertiliser programme will start with counties undertaking planting during the short rains season of 2022,” he said.
