Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Willy Bett addressing the press in Eldoret town on Wednesday, November 15, 2017. [Photo: Elvanis Ronoh]
Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture Willy Bett has urged farmers to take their maize to National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
He said despite NCPB opening its doors for farmers to take their maize, only a handful have shown up.
"In our Eldoret NCPB depot we have only received 370,000 90Kg bags of maize which is a drop in the ocean since we are expecting over 2 million bags," he said in Eldoret town Wednesday.
"It is sad that farmers are selling their maize at a throwaway price of sh 2,400 per 90Kg bag instead of sh 3,200 per 90 kg bad which is offered by the government," he added.
He assured farmers that they will be paid promptly after delivering their maize, therefore, no cause for alarm.
"We have releases sh 600 million to pay farmers who have who have delivered their maize at Rift Valley and Western NCPB depots," noted Bett.
He, however, revealed that the government has scrapped charges for drying maize at all NCPB depots across the Country.