Eldoret fertiliser plant opens on Thursday

ELDORET, KENYA: Multi-billion fertiliser plant in Uasin Gishu County expected to be opened by President Uhuru Kenyatta on Thursday will produce 400 bags daily in a bid to bring an end to the constant input shortages.
The blending plant, according to Toyota Tsusho senior managing director and also the chief regional officer for Pan Africa Takishi Hattori, will for the first time package fertiliser in bags of 50 kgs, 25 kgs and 10 kgs respectively at subsidised costs.
"Based on our assessment of the plant, we are confident that farmers in the country will start acquiring fertiliser based on soil specification and the new plant will meet their needs besides addressing shortages," he said.
He noted that upon the launch, the facility will also be able to produce 150,000 tons of farm inputs annually making it easier for farmers to access the input based on their soil specifications.
Toyota EA Chairperson Dennis Awori noted that the input will be soil and crop specific and most farmers will be able to procure the produce based on their preference.
"We want to ensure that the fertiliser is tailored to a given region and it will be an end to poor yields because the input shall be available at favorable costs," he added.
Awori observed that besides employment, farmers shall also benefit from training and capacity building courtesy of the management of the fertilizer plant.