Nairobi: Farmers in Murang’a county have welcomed the extra reduction in fertilizer prices for a 50-kilogram bag through a government initiative under the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
According to Kenya News Agency, the farmers expressed joy for the reduced-price terming it a relief on financial burdens as they prepare their farms ahead of the upcoming short rains planting season and the anticipated October-December long rains. Scores of farmers gathered at the NCPB Maragua depot to collect the subsidized fertilizer from across the county recalled how the same 50-kilogram bag previously retailed at Sh7000 before the price was reduced to Sh2500 and subsequently to the current Sh2000.
Njeri Ngugi, a maize farmer in Kaharati, Murang’a south, stated, ‘We are happy with the Sh2000 price because fertilizer is essential for good high farm yields. I have already saved Sh3000 which I have allocated to purchase certified maize seeds while the rest will go to labour and transportation.’ She noted that the price reductions have enabled most small-scale farmers to purchase their own fertilizer, further boosting their yields.
‘Initially, a single 50-kilogram bag of fertilizer was out of reach for most of us, individually, so we would come together, buy one bag, and share amongst ourselves. But right now, at Sh2000, each farmer can afford to buy their own bag,’ she added.
Teresia Nyambura, a farmer from the Saba Saba area, expressed similar sentiments, saying that the price drop is welcome and beneficial to them as farmers. ‘I grow maize and beans in my acre of land, and today I have been able to purchase 3 bags of planting fertilizer and 3 for top dressing. I expect even higher yields than what I harvested last season,’ Nyambura said. From her acre piece of land, she harvested five 90-kilogram bags of maize. She attributes this harvest to the subsidized fertilizer alongside other recommended farming practices.
‘We expect a bumper harvest this season as well. And if the price can go down further to even Sh1500 or Sh1000, we will still appreciate it and become even more productive, ensuring that the food basket does not run empty,’ she added with a chuckle as she fastened her 4 bags of fertilizer on a motorcycle.
Avocado farmer Wilson Nduati from Ndutumi observed that the reduced price would enable farmers to allocate more resources to other farm inputs and take better care of their farms. He, however, called for continued efforts to make agricultural inputs affordable and readily available as high production costs still remain a challenge. ‘As we collect fertilizer, we would like it to go hand in hand with other farm inputs like pesticides,’ he noted.
From his 150 stems of avocado trees, Nduati revealed that he was able to harvest up to 3 tonnes of the fruit despite facing the challenge of the partial mite. ‘I have increased the number of bags from last season to 8, and I believe this will increase my avocado yields even more as any reduction in prices gives us hope that we can plant, improve production, and even make more profits from our ventures,’ he said.
The farmers collected both Mavuno planting fertilizer and Mavuno topdressing.
