Dilemma for maize farmers as most NCPB silos overstocked

Cereals being weighed and packed in an NCPB depot in Nairobi. Photo/ANTHONY KAMAU

Farmers will be forced to look for alternative storage facilities for their grain following the slow pace by the cereals board in emptying its silos.

The newly-launched warehouse receiving system will come into force after the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) clears its stores and silos to create room for the new stock.

A spot check by the Daily Nation revealed that NCPB had only moved 20,000 bags from the Kitale depot to Thika out of 450,000 bags in nine stores.

The farmers will be forced to wait as the cereals board organises to offload its old stock at strategic areas and official communication on set prices of the grain.

NCPB public relations officer Evan Wasike said all stores were still packed with old stock.

He said they were, however, organising to empty stores at depots in the North Rift region, where harvesting of maize is going on.

The Kitale, Moi’s Bridge and Eldoret depots will be the first to be emptied to allow farmers from the region to benefit in the warehouse programme, he added.

Official communication

Mr Wasike declined to comment on the recent price announced by Prime Minister Raila Odinga and Agriculture minister Sally Kosgei, saying they were waiting for official communication.

He asked farmers to take advantage of the warehouse programme, saying NCPB will give priority to farmers who would have deposited maize at the facilities.

The official said the system would reduce losses incurred by farmers and also help them sell the produce at better prices.

Leaders in Trans Nzoia, led by Forestry minister Noah Wekesa, petitioned the government to open the facility to save farmers in the region who were incurring losses due to heavy rains.

They complained that any further delay by the cereals board would worsen their situation.