The National Treasury has made available Ksh.3.6 billion for fertilizer subsidy program for the 71,000 Metric tonnes of fertilizer.
This follows a directive by President William Ruto for the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to avail 1.4 million bags of fertilisers to farmers cut across the Eastern, Central and Western regions.
The new fertilizer prices were effected September 19 and will be channeled to farmers in regions experiencing short rains.
“To actualize the Presidential directive, the subsidized fertilizer programme will start with counties undertaking planting during the short rains season of 2022. The Government has availed the funds to subsidize 71,000 Mt of fertilizer for growing food crops during the short rains season,” said Francis Owino, Ag. Principal Secretary State Department for Crop Development & Agriculture Research.
The subsidies programme will see an average 50 kg bag of fertiliser retail at Ksh3,500 from the previous Ksh.6.500.
A bag of 50Kg of Di-Ammonium Phosphate (DAP) will cost a farmer Ksh.3500, Calcium Ammonium Nitrate (CAN) Ksh.2,875 and a 50Kg bag of UREA will go for Ksh.3,500.
A 50 Kg bag of NPK, MOP and Sulphate of Ammonia will cost a farmer Ksh.3,275, Ksh.1,775 and Ksh.2,220 respectively.
The price of fertiliser has been on an increase in the recent past, following the advent of the coronavirus pandemic, coupled with the Russia invasion of Ukraine in February this year.
