The pyrethrum sector in Nakuru county is looking up after years of a devastating market slump that led to farmers apathy.
An analysis by the Department of Agriculture in Nakuru County now indicates that the overall farm output across the eight pyrethrum growing sub counties has tripled with farmers reaping benefits from the cash crop.
Nakuru's Agriculture Chief Executive Dr. Stanley Chepkwony attributes the finding to the county government’s supply of free certified pyrethrum seedlings to farmers and a rebound of the cooperatives over the last three years.
Speaking in his office, Chepkwony observed that incentives by the Pyrethrum Regulatory Authority (PRA) to farmers has led to the expansion of pyrethrum farms from 150 acres in 2013 to 1,000 hectares today across thecounty.
He said increased demand for natural pyrethrum on the global market will see demand for pyrethrum increase.
He called on farmers to invest in pyrethrum farming and take advantage of the readily available free extension services to cultivate the crop that is raw material to a multi-billion dollar industry.
Nakuru, West Pokot, Nyandarua and Elgeyo Marakwet counties are high potential zones for pyrethrum growing with a conservative farming base of 3,000 farmers classified as small and large scale growers.