Farmers from maize growing counties will be forced to look for alternative markets to sell their surplus produce after the government revealed
it will only be able to purchase four million bags this season.
Speaking yesterday in Eldoret during a consultative meeting with farmers in the North Rift region, Strategic Food Reserve (SFR) Board chairman Noah Wekesa said the government will not be able to purchase 30 million
bags of maize projected to be harvested by the farmers in the country.
“The government will not buy all the 30 million bags of maize from the regions that grow the crop across the country. We have budgeted to purchase only four million bags,” said Wekesa.
The board, he said, has rolled out consultative meetings in maize growing regions to get the input of farmers and millers before setting the new
price for the produce.
Wekesa said that farmers and millers will give their proposals on new maize price which will also put the cost of production into consideration.
Farmers want SFR to purchase their maize at Sh3,600 per 90-kg bag.
