Migori County farmers “blue ticks” NCPB’s maize buying quota offer

Is it because of the lower set prices? Well, while the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) introduced quota system for different Counties to sell their maize, Some Countirs have still kept off. As a result, NCPB will reallocate maize buying quotas of counties that will fail to take up their allocations in full.

NCPB managing director Albin Sang says the Ministry of Agriculture has consulted county bosses from the maize-rich zones of Trans-Nzoa and Uasin Gishu counties over the matter.

Since the purchase of maize started on the last week of January some counties, such as Migori, are yet to sell a single bag of maize to the board while others have sold a sprinkling of the allocated share.

In the allocations, Migori was given more than 60,000 bags of maize.

“The ministry met with the governors of Trans-Nzoia and Uasin Gishu and informed them that they can get more allocation if there is still more room to fill their allocated quotas,” said Mr Sang.

Farmers with more than 400 bags will be allowed to sell their grain to the NCPB once all the farmers who have been vetted have sold their stocks, said the MD.

Albin Sang

The NCPB has capped the purchase of maize at 400 bags per farmer as the government moves to tame traders and largescale producers who have been accused of abusing the window at the expense of small-scale growers.

This comes just a year after a serious breach by the management of NCPB in purchasing of the 2017 crop, where traders were allowed to sell their maize to the board, locking out genuine farmers as stores were filled before they could deliver.

The laxity saw top officials of the board dismissed and charged in court for not taming the mess at the grain agency.

Uasin Gishu County will get the lion’s share in maize purchase under the quota system, with an allocation of 36 per cent of the two million bags the State has planned to buy.

Uasin Gishu was allocated 716,802 bags while Trans-Nzoia got 282,610 bags.

Others were Elgeyo Marakwet (47,555 bags), West Pokot was allocated 48,677, Nakuru got 150,534, Narok (130,420), while Nandi had 140,948.

The NCPB gave Laikipia 27,162 bags, Kericho was to deliver 53,826, Bungoma (224,091), Kakamega (107,615) while Migori was allocated 69,760 bags.

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