It is a bit of reprieve for North Rift maize farmers following the move by the Senate ad hoc committee on maize crisis to reject the government's Sh2,300 per 90 kilograms bag price for the produce.
Instead, the committee now calls on the national government to further increase the price to at least Sh3,000.
While making public its stand, the Senate committee claimed that the current offer by the government was unreasonable given the high cost of production that stands at Sh2,710 per 90kg bag.
The Senate committee expressed concerns that the current tussle between the Ministry of Agriculture and the maize farmers might plunge the country into an awkward state on matters food security.
Led by the Bungoma Senator Moses Wetangula, the committee now proposes that the maize farmers be offered a new price of Sh3,000 per 90 kg bag owing to the recent move by the government to introduce a hefty 16 per cent tax on farm chemicals.
This, the senate argues, has raised the cost of production of the farm produce.