By Standard team
The Government has imported 27,493 metric tonnes of fertiliser that arrived at the port of Mombasa aboard the MV Crescent Harbour.
National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) Managing Director Gideon Misoi and Agriculture Permanent Secretary Romano Kiome are scheduled to receive the consignment.
“We are making arrangements to travel to Mombasa with the PS to receive the consignment. It belongs to the Ministry of Agriculture,” said Prof Misoi. Long distance transport operators were scrambling to get tenders to ship the cargo with some complaining of monopoly.
Those who talked to The Standard On Saturday on condition of anonymity claimed several companies had transported the Government fertiliser over the years, but one company was being favoured.
Monopoly
“We have paid Sh1,000 per truck to the board as affiliation fee. I don’t see why the Government should monopolise the transportation of the fertiliser,” said aggrieved transporter. “We have been working closely with NCPB for many years in transporting fertiliser and cargos meant for the board,” complained another one.
Misoi, however, said he was not aware of the monopoly claims, adding he would talk to transporters who had handled such consignments. Meanwhile, Bomet Governor Isaac Ruto has urged farmers to plant alternative crops as maize begins to develop signs of the lethal necrosis disease.
The disease, whose diagnosis is yet to be provided by the Government, ravaged thousands of acres of the crop last year in the South Rift and Nyanza Province. Addressing the Press in Bomet, Ruto said the disease had now spiraled into a global issue and they were engaging research institutions.
