By TITUS TOO and FAITH RONOH

Eldoret, Kenya: Farmers who have paid for subsidised fertiliser have expressed fears that they may not get the commodity due to high demand.

Hundreds of farmers camped at National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depot in Eldoret yesterday hoping to get the fertiliser to plant during the on-going rains.

The board had pasted on a wall farmers’ names who had deposited their money at a local bank for the subsidised fertiliser.

Distribution of the first batch of 1,600 bags that has been received in Eldoret started yesterday.

“I spend Sh300 as transport to reach Eldoret NCPB depot. I have been here for two days yet I have not accessed the inputs,” Mr Patrick Maiyo, a maize farmer said.

He appealed to the Government to ensure that in future the inputs are made available on time to improve food production.

“This is the country’s grain basket and it is unfortunate the Government is subjecting farmers to suffering. We have been here since Tuesday without fertiliser,” said Castro Simatei.

Mr Simatei also urged the Government to hasten supply of fertiliser that is at Mombasa port using railway, NYS and military trucks.

The commodity arrived at the Eldoret depot this week and farmers are required to hand over forms to agricultural officials at NCPB, then make payment at a given account.

Farmers then present banking slips to NCPB before they can access the subsidised fertiliser from the stores, which retails at Sh2,500 per 50kg bag.

Queuing

A Kaptagat farmer, Jonathan Mafuta, said he paid Sh85,000 for 35 bags of subsidised fertiliser last June, but the account in which he deposited the money has since been changed.

“Farmers have been given another account and my name does not appear in the new list of those who have deposited money. I will be forced to reduce my production acreage because I do not have extra money to buy more fertiliser,” said Mafuta.

Reuben Semukwo, a farmer at Kiplombe gave up queuing for the subsidised fertiliser and instead decided to purchase DAP from suppliers at Sh3,700 a bag.

“There is a long queue at NCPB and I resolved to buy the fertiliser so that I can benefit from the on-going rains,” said Semukwo.

Ms Caroline Magut, also a local farmer said: “We don’t own the rains. If we fail to plant on time, the final yield will be lowered. I decided to buy fertiliser from a distributor so that I can catch up with the rains.”

Kipkorir Menjo, a director with Kenya Farmers Association asked the Government to speed up distribution of fertiliser to all counties.

Mr Menjo said some farmers acquired loans from Agricultural Finance Corporation and it may be difficult for them to repay due to poor production occasioned by late planting.  North Rift NCPB regional manager Jonah Marindich appealed to farmers to be patient as they wait for supply of the commodity.

“We urge farmers to be patient because more stocks of subsidised fertiliser will arrive in the next few days,” he said.

Mr Marindich said farmers who paid first would be given priority during distribution of the commodity.

Meanhwile, agricultural experts have warned farmers against relying on fertiliser for planting without carrying out soil sampling.

They noted that most farmers use Diammonium phosphate and Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (fertiliser irrespective of soil PH.

Mr Stanley Tiony, Agronomist officer with the Crop Nutrition Laboratory services said most farmers fail to undertake soil tests and plant pathology to identify the correct fertiliser and seeds to use on their farms, which limits production.

“Soil testing is very important especially in identifying the amount of pathogens in the soil and the general health status of the soil, which is very crucial in identifying the type of fertiliser that can be used,” said Tiony.