It is obvious the North Rift maize farmers are paying a heavy price for voting along tribal line and also electing puppets and cartels to parliament and senate. The caninet that is co-chaired by Uhuruto approved NCPB to pay farmers jus 2300 per bag of maize instead of what they requested 3,600.
David Maina Ndung’u made this observation :
Reasons why Cabinet set price of a bag of maize at Ksh2,300 against farmers demands of Ksh3,600.
1. Cabinet says that if the price is set that high, unscrupulous traders will purchase maize outside the country and attempt to sell to NCPB.
2. Government is determined to maintain a 2kg packet of flour at Ksh75.
Some farmers say they use as much as Ksh2,750 to produce one bag of maize while other use as little as Ksh1,500.
The price discrepancy comes from farm inputs including DAP and CAN fertilizer which is heavily subsidized by Government to cushion farmers.
However farmers who have high production costs say they by their own fertilizer because the subisidized one is of inferior quality.
Two things come out clearly here according to me:
1. Government is unwilling to clean up NCPB and is therefore punishing farmers with small profit margins or even losses for some.
2. The price of maize flour can be kept under Ksh100 by addressing other factors of production on the side of millers.
Your thoughts?
Meanwhile:
COST OF PRODUCTION OF MAIZE IN ONE ACRE OF LAND
INPUT:
》Leasing 1 acre>>> 10,000
》ploughing >>> 3000×2=6k
》Harrowing>>> 2000
》seeds>>>> 1800 (25kg)
》fertiliser>>> 1800 ×2=3600
》planting>>> 2000
》weeding>>> 2000
》Top dressing>>> 3000
》emergency >>> 2000
》Harvesting>>> 5000
》Transport>> 1800 per trip
》Shelling>> 1500
》Transport to cereal>> 2k
》TOTAL COST= 42,700
OUT PUT
》Best on current trends, one acre produce 20 bags of 90kg.
Price per bag >>2300
》20 ×2300 =46,000
》Total output= 46000
》profit = output – input
46000-42700
》profit = 3,300
Waiting 3,300 for 6 months !
Therefore Dr. Ruto’s call for Kalenjins to diversify their produce is an excellent Idea. The guy is a billionaire and a holder of PhD.
Pandeni Avocados ama mufuge chickens, you will have a better chance of being a billionaire.
Cc Nalianya Aggrey.
