A National Irrigation Board official in West Kano Irrigation Scheme in Nyando Constituency has raised concern over cheap rice imports coming to Kisumu.
The officer in charge of the scheme, Kennedy Ouma, said cheap imports are hurting farmers, traders and the country’s economy.
“Our farmers are making losses due to the cheap rice imports that come to Kisumu County,” he said.
He called upon the National Assembly to put in policies to deter such imports.
Speaking to rice farmers in Nyando on Thursday, Mr Ouma said the vigour being used to fight cheap sugar imports should be employed against rice imports.
“I have seen MPs protesting against cheap sugar coming into the country, they should not stop there, let them also carry on with the protest but this time on rice imports,” he said.
He further decried shortage of subsidised fertilizer to enable farmers to plant rice.
Mr Ouma noted that farmers were ready to plant but accessing the subsidised fertilizer has been a problem.
He said farmers were making endless trips to the Kisumu National Cereals Board but the fertilizer has not arrived.
The officer appealed to Nyando MP Fred Outa who is a member of agriculture committee in Parliament to find out the cause of the shortage.