?Pyrethrum revival venture receives Sh200 million boost

Pyrethrum is derived from the dried flowers of chrysanthemum plants

The national government has pledged to give Sh200 million to revive the pyrethrum sector.

According to Deputy President William Ruto, the money will be factored in the 2018-2019 budget, to boost the initiative launched by various stakeholders in 18 pyrethrum-growing counties.

Speaking in Njoro after attending a Sunday service at African Inland Church, Mr Ruto urged the counties to pool resources in order to revive the sector that has already lost 80 per cent share in the international market.

“The national government will work with the pyrethrum-growing counties to ensure that the country regains the market share,” Ruto said.

Nakuru Governor Lee Kinyanjui, who has been spearheading the revival programme, said the only way to jumpstart the stalled pyrethrum growing was to unlock the bottlenecks along the value chain.

On course

"The revival plan is on course and already farmers have gone back to their farms to start planting," said Kinyanjui.

Meanwhile, the DP has urged county leaders to participate in the tree planting exercise spearheaded by the national government.

Ruto urged governors, especially those in counties around water towers and surrounded by natural forests, to be at the forefront in spearheading the initiative.

He said the ban on logging in Government and communal forests would stay, and urged timber manufacturers and small-scale saw-millers crying foul to be patient.

The DP was responding to calls by local leaders that the ban was hurting timber businesses in the county.

A number of sawmills in Molo, Elburgon and Njoro have shut down due to the ban, rendering hundreds of people jobless. The prices of timber in the county have risen by between 100-150 per cent.