A storm is brewing over a recent Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) that a section of farmers in the North Rift region signed with Export Trading Company Inputs Kenya Limited (ETG).
The MoU that was signed on Saturday at Kenmosa following a meeting that was convened by politician Zedekiah Kiprop Buzeki will see farmers buy fertilizers from ETG at Sh3,000 per 50-kilogram bag and sell their maize to the same company at Sh1,900 per 90-kilogram bag.
But even as farmers have welcomed the deal, Uasin Gishu County Assembly Speaker David Kiplagat is cautioning them to be wary of cartels.
In a message that seemed to be directed at Buzeki, Kiplagat asked farmers no to be cheated. He spoke in a local language, Nandi.
He further said the government was in control and would find a way of providing subsidized fertilizers to farmers. This is despite an admission from the Strategic Food Reserve (SFR) board chairman Noah Wekesa that the government had not imported the subsidized fertilizers this year.
"Don't allow to be cheated that someone has brought a deal where we can buy a bag of fertiliser at Sh3,000 and they are available. How did you know that the government will not bring subsidized fertilisers, and now you say they are in Eldoret and some more in Mombasa?" Kiplagat asked.
"If there is someone who wants to provide fertilisers to farmers then he should first bargain with NCPB so that we can find them there," he added.
He was speaking during a church service in Moiben, Sunday.
The County Assembly Speaker further claimed that ETG is part of companies listed by the government to supply subsidised fertilizers and has in the past been questioned by the police.
He cautioned farmers against rushing to sign deals with anyone due to the problems they are currently facing.
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