Protect maize farmers

Reports of a growing number of fraudsters capitalising on the rush by maize farmers to sell their harvest to con them out of their produce are worrying and should be immediately addressed.

The rush has been occasioned by the government’s plans to import 10 million bags of maize in February 2023. This means that farmers, who still have a surplus in their stores, have to sell the more than 30 million bags they harvested this season in just under six weeks.

This has given the imposter traders an opportunity to swindle the farmers of their hard-earned money.

Reports suggest that these traders have flocked North Rift, the country’s maize basket, and are purchasing the grains using bouncing cheques while others buy the produce on credit but suddenly close shop before making the payments, subjecting farmers to huge losses. This calls for urgent intervention.

Authorities should quickly move in to protect farmers from fraudsters and ensure that farmers’ harvest is given priority.

Maize imports

The agencies should also ensure that the farmers are not conned of their hard-earned produce, by making sure that government stores are open at all times and are the first point of sale for the grain growers.

This problem, understandably, could have been addressed without the government-imposed deadline of February 2023 for the start of the maize imports.

Farmers, after a hard season’s work, should be allowed to sell their produce in peace, with importation only being allowed to plug the deficit between the expected harvest and the national demand.

It would, therefore, be a worrying case of a double tragedy if farmers, who already run the risk of not getting good buyers for their produce after February 2023, were to also have to worry about whom they should sell to, and whether they will be paid, and on time.