Key words of the passage: fertilizer; price; subsidize; farmer; government

The government of Kenya has announced new subsidized fertilizer prices after the government availed a Sh3.5billion fertilizer subsidy.The Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries, and Co-operatives made the announcement and said the move follows a directive by President William Ruto for the ministry to avail 1.4million bags of fertilizer to farmers at a subsidized price of a maximum of Sh3,500 per 50Kg bag from the current price of Sh6,500 to combat the high-cost producers in the farming sector incur. The new fertilizer prices which are effective September 19 will be first availed to farmers in regions experiencing the short rains.

“To actualize the Presidential directive, the subsidized fertilizer programme will start with counties undertaking planting during the short rains season of 2022. The Government has availed the funds to subsidize 71,000 Mt of fertilizer for growing food crops during the short rains season,” said Francis Owino, Ag. Principal Secretary State Department for Crop Development & Agri. Research.

Access to fertilizer

Access to fertilizer has been a prominent threat farmers have been facing, with its prices spiking occasioned by global phenomena such as the Covid-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. In recent times, fertilizer prices hiked to a level that affected both small-scale and large-scale farmers thus threatening food and nutrition security in the country which had ripple effects on agricultural production in the country.

The applicable subsidized fertilizer prices will be per 50Kg bag of fertilizer retailing from Sh1,775 to a maximum cost of Sh3,500. A bag of 50Kg of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) will cost a farmer Sh3500, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) Sh2,875 and a 50Kg bag of UREA will go for Sh3,500. Moreover, a 50 Kg bag of NPK, MOP and Sulphate of Ammonia will cost a farmer Sh3,275, Sh1,775 and Sh2,220 respectively. The fertilizers can be accessed via the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots and sub-depots countrywide and farmers can purchase up to 100 bags of the 50kg bags of fertilizers.

“The Ministry appeals to farmers requiring fertilizers in the short rains dependent areas to visit the nearest NCPD depot or sub-depot to access subsidized fertilizer,” said Owino.

Source: Farmers Review Africa