.jpg)
| |||||||||
|
|||||||||
|
By:
Mercy Kahenda | |||||||||
| Posted:
Nov,15-2016 16:14:32
| |||||||||
|
While many regions in the country suffer food insecurity attributed to erratic weather patterns, farmers in Nakuru are struggling to find market for their produce.
This year, farmers had a bumper harvest of various crops, including peas, potatoes, vegetables, wheat and beans. Some of the produce is currently rotting in farms as they have not been harvested because of lack of market.
Smart Harvest team visited several farmers in the county and established increased number of brokers buying the produce at throw-away prices.
Despite market challenges, poor roads have also affected farmers making it difficult for them to transport their produce.
David Juma from Sirikwa village in Kuresoi North is among farmers struggling to find market for their produce.
Juma, 40, says he has had to find market for his shangi potato variety in Tanzania. He says there is ready and better prices in Tanzania, as a 110kg bag goes for Sh2,300, while in Kenya, a 170kg bag is sold at Sh2,500. "Why should people die in various parts of the country when we have a lot of produce in this region? I am forced to find market in Tanzania because I have no alternative," he says. Juma, who planted potatoes on a 17-acre farm, says the cost of production is also higher in Kenya, including farm inputs such as fertilisers and chemicals. He regrets that the government has not put in place measures to boost potato production like other ventures such as dairy farming where farmers sell milk to the Kenya Cooperative Creameries (KCC). "The burden of market search lies with farmers struggling with brokers offering low prices," Juma tells Smart Harvest. Adjacent to the potato farm is 15 acres of wheat crop due for harvesting, but the farmer is anticipating losses because of lack of ready market. Last year, Juma harvested 535 bags of wheat and sold to brokers at Sh2,000 per 90kg bag, instead of the expected price of at least Sh3,000. Another discouraged farmer is Nicholas Kago from Mukinyai village, Molo Sub-county, who despite harvesting more than 150 bags of maize, has found no market for the produce. Kago says he is forced to sell the produce to brokers at Sh2,000 per 90kg bag, instead of Sh3,000 offered by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). "Production of maize this year is high, but I am forced to find storage because the prices are discouraging," he says. Most farmers say they don't sell their produce to the NCPB because of long processes of verification. They say the NCPB depots are are also in far-flung areas and they have to incur a lot of transportation and storage costs. "NCPB does not pay farmers on time, you have to wait for long and by when you receive the pay, the storage fee is deducted," says Kago. Joseph Kariuki is also desperate on selling his maize crop. He says he did not get subsidised fertiliser as promised by the government because of cartels. "I have all these produce, but I am not sure if I will earn anything from what I invested. This is my source of income, I have to sell it to be able to prepare for the next planting season," says Kariuki. He says production this year was better than that of last year, which was affected by frost and erratic rains. He says he spent more than Sh10,000 to buy fertiliser after failing to get subsidised supply. "Farming has attracted more cartels. For example, why do people get subsidised inputs selectively and now, while we struggle for market, a cartel is importing maize from neighboring countries. This should stop," Kariuki says. Mohamed Ngigi is also a desperate farmer in Michinda village. The father of five has cabbages, onions, potatoes and poultry, but has to sell the produce to brokers at lower prices because of lack of market. "Production this year is good. We are collaborating with other farmers to look for better markets because no one buys the produce but if they do, the prices are very discouraging," he says. In Kuresoi South, farmers say they are not able to transport their produce to the market because of poor roads. Mary Kurgat, a dairy farmer in Emitik village, says she incurs losses because she cannot transport her milk to Olenguruoni Dairy Cooling plant located approximately three kilometers away because of impassable roads. Ms Kurgat says she is currently forced to sell the produce to brokers at Sh20 per litre, instead of Sh35. Nakuru County Agriculture executive Stanley Chepkwony says high yields are expected this year because there were adequate rains. Last year, many maize farmers in the South Rift had poor harvests because of low rains and frost. Chepkwony says 50 per cent of maize was lost due to shortage of rains in various parts of the county, including Gilgil, Naivasha, Nakuru East and Nakuru West. Chepkwony says the county government is training farmers to ensure quality produce constantly to attract better market. He says the main challenge in market search by farmers is inconsistent quality and quantity production, especially for maize and beans. He says they are also encouraging farmers to form cooperative societies and groups to help them in marketing. He says this will improve their bargaining power and enable them to enjoy economies of scale and easily get farm inputs. Chepkwony says the county is also in-cooperating NCPB officers to train farmers on produce standards. | |||||||||
|
Source:
| |||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|
||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
RSS