Trans Nzoia County government pledges to cushion maize farmers

KENYA: The county government has assured maize farmers that it would intervene to prevent any delivery of cheap imports by middlemen to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).

Deputy Governor Stanley Tarus said the county government is working with the board to ensure no imports from neighbouring countries is delivered to the board. Dr Tarus said all the people delivering maize to the depot would be vetted. "I'm assuring farmers that the county government has put in place systems to lock out middlemen from sneaking in cheap imports to depots at the expense of local farmers," he said.

Speaking in Kitale, Tarus allayed fears that the imports will get their way 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.

MPs Chris Wamalwa (Kiminini), David Lazaro (Saboti) and Janet Nangabo (Woman representative) 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," Mr Lazaro said.

The imports have flooded Kitale as farmers prepare to start harvesting. Middlemen buy the maize at between Sh1,200 and Sh1,500 per 90kg bag and then re-sell the same at Sh2,500.

The maize imports have been sourced from Bukwo and Kapchorwa districts in Eastern Uganda regions where farmers have realised good harvests.

For the past one week, trucks have arrived in Kitale with huge consignment of the 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 storage.