Lorries line up to deliver maize at NCPB stores in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County.[Photo: the-star.co.ke]
Farmers have urged the government to open the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to enable them to sell their produce.
The West Pokot, Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia farmers urged the national government to open NCPB buying centers so that farmers can deliver their maize in good time.
NCPB silos are still closed despite assurances by the government they will start buying maize from farmers last week.
The farmers have decried exploitation by middlemen in the region.
They claim that the middlemen have been buying maize for Sh2,300, making huge profits from farmers who are desperate for cash.
Led by James Kapelion, the farmers said the cereal boards should be open as soon as possible as the farmers incur losses due to heavy rains.
“We don’t want to have problems when it comes to paying school fees in January next year,” he said, “By now we could have taken maize to the cereals board.”
Kapelion, who is one of the large-scale farmers in the region added that the government should support the farmers to facilitate their agricultural production.
“NCPB should begin buying maize from the farmers to cut off these profiteers. The maize is being sold at 2800 per bag,” he said.
The farmers also called on NCPB to partner with the region’s County governments to open up satellite centers to be used as pick-up points in the supply of farm inputs and sale of produce.