Govt will compensate only 3000 bags of flagged fertiliser, says CS Linturi

April 12, 2024

The government will only compensate farmers who received 3,000 bags of substandard fertiliser, despite the Agriculture Ministry’s claim that there is no fake fertiliser in the subsidy programme.

The development comes as Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi blames the Kenya Bureau of Standards (Kebs) for the substandard fertiliser fiasco.

Mr Linturi, who appeared before the Senate Agriculture Committee yesterday, stated that only 3,000 of the 2.3 million bags of fertiliser distributed to farmers under the subsidy programme as of April 4, 2024, were deemed substandard.

He stated that the fertiliser, manufactured by Kel Chemicals Limited, contained 24 percent phosphorus rather than the recommended 26 percent.

Following the discovery, the CS stated that his ministry directed the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to halt fertiliser delivery and distribution on March 20, 2024, to allow for investigations.

“If the percentage of nutrients in the fertiliser does not meet the required level does not mean the fertiliser is fake. That is what the problem is currently. An error occurred in a small batch and we stopped the manufacturer,” Mr Linturi said.

“From our record, only 3,000 is affected and we have asked all the affected farmers to take back the flagged fertiliser to NCPB,” he added.

However, he informed the committee chaired by Kirinyaga Senator James Murango that mechanisms for compensating affected farmers had already been put in place.

He stated that they withheld funds that were supposed to be paid to the supplier of the flagged fertiliser, which will now be made available to compensate the farmers.

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Furthermore, he stated that the NCPB will make top dressing fertiliser available to affected farmers at a lower cost than Sh2,500 or for free if they do not require their money back.

“Through the e-voucher system, we are able to know where the fertiliser went and who it was sold to. We have told the farmers to bring back the substandard fertiliser to allow for compensation,” he said.

The CS defended the subsidy programme saying it has been successful despite the error from the manufacturer.