Test on fertiliser held at port to take one week

The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) has ordered a laboratory test on part of the 7,000 metric tonnes of fertiliser at the Mombasa port to determine its suitability for use.

Results of the laboratory tests will be announced in seven days.

The fertiliser was imported by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) for sale to farmers at a subsidised price, but the the agency declined to receive part of it after suspecting that it was damaged.

KEBS Coast Regional Manager Vincent Cheruiyot said the disputed consignment was ‘caked’ and this had prompted them to take samples for laboratory tests in Nairobi.

Mr Cheruiyot said NCPB sought their intervention last week after discovering that part of the cargo may have been damaged during shipment.

“The disputed part of the consignment failed the physical test because it is caked. This is why we stopped the ship from sailing back. We expect the results this week,” Mr Cheruiyot explained.

This was revealed as the Parliamentary Departmental Committee on Agriculture attending a retreat in Mombasa cancelled its earlier plan to inspect the fertiliser to await Keb’s report.

NCPB officials said the vessel shipped in 7,260 metric tonnes of NPK fertiliser from China, and only 5,000 metric tonnes of the consignment meet the requirement standards.

On Tuesday evening, the Agriculture Committee Chairman Adan Mohamed Nooru said they could not visit the ship because they had no expertise to determine the quality of the fertiliser.

He also said the committee relies on KEBS to ensure all fertiliser imports by the national, counties as well as the private sector meet the required standards.

“I opposed the committee visit to the port because we have no expertise to know if the fertiliser is good or bad even if saw it,” Nooru said.