The state owned Kenya Seed Company will not achieve its sales target of 27 million kilogrammes of maize seed this season, due to effects of the post-election violence and increased cost of farm inputs.
The managing director of the Kitale-based organisation, Mr Hosea Sitienei, disclosed that the company, however, anticipates to sell more than 20 million kilogrammes of the seed for this season's planting period.
"We are unlikely to achieve our target sale of 27 million kilogrammes of maize seed but sales will not be less than 20 million kilogrammes," he said. He added that the company will not adjust maize seed prices and will be selling a 10kg of the seed at Sh1,150.
"We have resolved not to increase our maize seed prices to help boost production due to the increased cost of other farm inputs," Mr Sitienei explained. He said most farmers are likely to scale down their acreage under crop production due to the increased cost of farm inputs, especially fuel and fertiliser. "The increased cost of farm preparation will impact negatively resulting to some of them reducing their acreage under crop cultivation," said Mr Sitienei.
Most petroleum outlets in the North Rift region are selling diesel at Sh82.24 up from Sh78.99, while fertilizer prices have increased from Sh2,400 to Sh3,000. Farmers in the region have also complained of lack of market for last season's maize produce due to delays by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to purchase the crop.
The Kenya Plantation and Agricultural Workers Union (KPGWU) national treasurer Mr Joshua Oyuga said several hectares of tea plantations are going to waste after thousands of workers were displaced by the violence.
"Tea bushes are overgrown as there are insufficient workers to pluck them. At the same time, several tonnes of tea products cannot reach market due to insecurity on the roads," Mr Oyuga said.
The Nation