Furore as fertiliser price rises

Fertilizer is an essential factor for most if not all farmers. Therefore, the furor that many are in over the recent price increase is understandable. Recently a 50kg bag of fertilizer was priced at Sh6,000, almost twice the price that it was last year.

Agriculture Cs Peter Munya initiated a cabinet memo to discuss the issue and eventually find a solution. The urgency of this matter received emphasis by the CS as the country approaches her planting season.

“The price of input price increasing to this level is beyond the control of the government. Factors such as high costs of raw material and the global shortage of it due to the crisis all business suffered in the last two years,” said CS Munya.

Farmers have made it clear that the price is unacceptable and if not addressed then they will resort to not planting maize this year. This will directly affect food supply in an already volatile election year for Kenyans.

The Director of Kenya Farmers Association believes farmers will have to cut down on acreage. Furthermore, farmers will need to minimize their use of fertilizer to stretch it across more ground.

The matter is still in the air as farmers and Kenyans at large are hoping for a quick solution.