Kenyan wheat farmers are grappling with an acute shortage of seeds following the bad weather experienced in parts of the country during the grain harvesting season between August and September.
Mr Samuel Gitonga, an official of Kenya National Federation of Agricultural Producers, said the shortage of good grains and high wheat demand in the world market meant that farmers would have to pay more for seeds. “Most of the produce sold to millers was classified as ‘under grades’ which fetched less than the market price of the time,” he said.
The fear of the looming wheat shortages compelled millers to lower their stringent quality specifications.
Farmers in the wheat producing regions now want the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to rehabilitate a multi-million grain storage facility located in the wheat and barley zones of Mau Narok. They argue that losses during the bad weather would have been lower were the silos operational.
NCPB says the Mau Narok facility was put to disuse when farmers opted for private storage services. Competition also came from a private entity hired by East African Malting Limited to dry and store barley for its contracted farmers in the region.
Business Day Africa
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