Government asked to pay promptly for maize deliveries

Cheruiyot Samoei a farmer from Kipkenyo village in Uasin Gishu county sorts rotten maize from the good ones as he sun dries his produce. [Photo by Kevin Tunoi]

Farmers have asked the Government to pay them for maize supplied to the cereals board.

Prompt payment, they said, would help them meet their children's education obligations.

Farmers who spoke to The Standard in Eldoret on Wednesday said they had school fees to pay as schools reopen for first term. They also want to buy farm inputs in order to start land preparations ahead of the next planting season, they added.

With the costly Christmas festivities over, focus is now on education. Students joining Form One and those in higher classes are set to report in school in the first week of January.

Farmers’ calls for prompt payment came even as sources from the National Cereals and Produce Board hinted that the Government released some funds on Friday, which would be processed for payment and that most farmers would be paid by next week.

Financial obligations

One of the farmers, Kimutai Kolum said: “We appeal for prompt payment for our deliveries so that we can plan for our children’s school fees and also go back to ploughing our farms in readiness for the next season.”

He claimed they had received payment only for deliveries made up to December 5.

He said those who supplied maize between December 6 and 23 were yet to be paid, adding that these payments should be cleared to enable the farmers meet their financial obligations.

“The prevailing weather conditions in the cereals producing region is conducive for ploughing as part of preparation for early planting. Farmers need the money to enable them plan well towards achievement of good yields in the coming season,” said Mr Kolum.

A source from the board urged farmers to be patient, giving an assurance that outstanding pay would be cleared by next week.