Moiben Member of Parliament Silas Tiren has expressed concerns over delays in the release of payments to farmers who have delivered their produce to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
In a post on his official Facebook page, Tiren, known for being on the lead in championing farmers' issues lamented that no farmer had been paid despite the government's promise of prompt payments.
The MP now says farmers are being forced to sell their produce to middlemen at a throwaway price so as to get funds to purchase farm inputs for the approaching planting season.
"It's been weeks now since farmers started delivering their produce to NCPB and even after the promise that the payments will be prompt this season, no farmer has received any payment to date. With the onset of rains, farmers have now resulted into selling their produce to middlemen at lower prices, to enable them go back to their farms in preparation for the 2019 planting season. There is no sign of subsidized fertilizer this season," reads part of Tiren's post on Facebook.
The two-time legislator has also hit out at the Ministry of Agriculture for failing to set up buying centres as promised a move that he notes that "has subjected farmers who are largely in the rural areas to more losses."
He, however, revealed that he will be seeking an audience with the CS, Mwangi Kiunjuri, together with other maize stakeholders so as to iron out issues affecting the sector.
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