Things have since been bad for Kenyan farmers and they are not getting any better soon as per the actions of the Sh 1.5 billion fertiliser blending factory was set up in Eldoret raising hopes of lower prices.
Their hopes have been dashed following Toyota Tsusho Fertiliser Africa Ltd announcing it will sell the locally mixed Baraka brand of fertiliser for Sh3,000 a bag, which they consider too high.
The Toyota Tsusho plant along the Eldoret-Nairobi highway produces an average of 150,000 tonnes of fertiliser annually.
Adding to the farmers’ misery was the announcement by the government that it will not import 150,000 tonnes of subsidised fertiliser, as it has been doing in the past. The fertiliser goes for Sh1,800 per bag.
“Stockists are taking advantage of the current fertiliser shortage to increase the price beyond the means of most farmers,” Mr Robert Kosgei, an agricultural officer in Nandi County, said.
Mr David Kosgey from Moiben, Uasin Gishu County, said, “We want the government to source the fertiliser from Toyota Tshusho and sell the input to us at subsidized rates.”
But the company has defended its prices, arguing that it blends its products for specific crops, and that they are suitable for crop production in the North Rift, the country’s bread basket.
“The Baraka brand of fertiliser is blended for specific crops like maize, tea, sugar cane, among others,” explained a source at the company.