Low turn-out at Eldoret show

This year's Eldoret agricultural show recorded the lowest turnout in recent years.

The event, usually the first in the Agricultural Society of Kenya calendar, saw the number of exhibitors drop from 90 to 48, and only 2,500 attending.

This was a drop from some 12,000 people attending in past years, said a show official who sought anonymity. 

Eldoret South MP David Koros said the low turn-out at the show, which was opened by the President on Wednesday, was due to lack of government commitment to revive the agriculture sector.

He said the maize planting season would be on in two weeks and yet farmers had not been paid for maize delivered to the National Cereals and Produce Board.

He also said the farmers had boycotted the fair because promises made by President Kibaki while opening the show last year, were not fulfilled.

"The Head of State had promised farmers last year that 40,000 tonnes of fertiliser would be in the country by March at affordable prices, but it instead arrived in May after they had been exploited by businessmen," he said. 

The MP in whose constituency the showground lies said farmers had been promised fertiliser at Sh800, but the board sold it at Sh1,200. It is currently selling at between Sh1,800 and Sh1,900 for a 50kg bag. 

Agriculture minister Kipruto Kirwa said the price increase of about 40 per cent was due to freight charges.

Last week, the minister said the Government had imported 300,000 bags of fertiliser to stabilise its prices. 

He said the board had 400,000 bags of the input in its 110 depots, including a surplus of 100,000 bags from last year.