Trans Nzoia county government vows to protect maize farmers from middlemen

TRANS-NZOIA, KENYA: Trans-Nzoia County Government has assured local Maize farmers that it will intervene to prevent any delivery of cheap imports by middlemen to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
Deputy Governor Dr Stanley Tarus said the county government is working with the board to ensure no imports from neighbouring countries is delivered to the board at the expense of the local farmers.
Tarus said the county will conduct vetting of maize delivered to the board depots to lock out middlemen angling to sell the cheap maize imports to the NCPB.
"I'm assuring framers that the county government has employed systems to lock out middlemen from sneaking in cheap imports to depots at the expense of local farmers," he said.
Speaking in Kitale, the DG allayed fears that the imports will get its way to the board arguing that vetting will be conducted on all people delivering maize to the board.
"We are aware of the scheme by unscrupulous business people wanting to sneak the imports to the board but this will not happen under our watch," he assured.
Local leaders led by MPs Dr Chris Wamalwa, David Lazaro and Women representative Janet Nangabo expressed fear that the huge consignment from Uganda may end up at the local board depots and deny farmers the opportunity to sell their locally harvested produce.
"We fear that cheap imports will be delivered to the NCPB stores at the expense of local farmers. We want the county government to make sure that this is blocked," said Lazaro.
For the past one week, trucks have arrived in Kitale with huge consignment of imported maize and stocked in stores in the area.
The middlemen have engaged youths to dry the maize in fields in Matisi, Mitume, Bidii and Kitale town to meet the required moisture content before stored.
According to a middlemen whom The Standard interviewed said that maize in Uganda is cheap compared to that produced locally.
"Maize prices in Uganda are affordable unlike what is produced in the country and this is why we have imported to make good profit in the coming days," said the middleman who identified himself only as Kamau.
While the cost of a 90 kg bag is going at sh1,500, the same is transported to the country at sh200 bringing to total cost of sh1,700 per bag.

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