Wheat farmers in Uasin Gishu County have called on the government to put on hold wheat importation until all wheat harvested locally is sold out.
Speaking during a press briefing in Eldoret after a meeting with wheat growers from the County, Cereal Growers Association, CGA, board member Nahashon Ngetich said small-scale wheat farmers relied on market support for efficient uptake of their wheat.
Ng’etich expressed concern that wheat farmers are still holding huge stocks of wheat in their store for lack of market as most millers are not buying the produce.
He said challenges persist in the wheat sub-sector, such as millers prioritizing importation of wheat over local purchases, leaving many farmers unable to sell their wheat. “Marketing agents who are willing to buy local wheat are facing stockpiles and financial constraints,” said Ng’etich.
Ng’etich stated that to minimize import reliance, the government has facilitated the Local Wheat Purchase Program that allowed millers to import wheat at a lower duty of 10 percent instead of a full import duty of 35 percent in exchange that they would purchase locally produced wheat at an agreed minimum price.
“This program, coordinated by the Ministry of Agriculture, through Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), aimed to promote local production and ensure fair prices for consumers,” he added.
He pointed out that the Cereal Millers Association, CMA and CGA, along with marketing agents, were key stakeholders in this initiative.
Ng’etich said through the agreement, wheat prices for the 2024/2025 season, were set at Sh. 5,300 as the minimum for grades one and Sh. 5,200 for grade two for locally produced wheat to farmers by registered marketing agents.
However, Kenya National Farmers Federation Uasin Gishu County chairperson, Ruth Kemboi said that currently, farmers are going through a lot of challenges as the CMA has decided not to buy wheat from farmers.
“As farmers, we are disappointed because we thought we were going to be happy this season after AFA gave us the promise of good price. We believed we would just go to the market and sell our produce but it’s unfortunate that the farmers have started crying again because CMA has reneged on the agreement,” she said.
She warned that the federation is considering to discourage farmers from growing wheat going forward. “We are considering asking farmers not to grow wheat anymore, we can plant other cereals and commercial crops such as coffee, Avocado, Pyrethrum, and other horticultural crops instead of begging to have our produce bought,” said Kemboi.
“There is need for immediate action from the Government and stakeholders to address these challenges and ensure the success of the Local Wheat Purchase Program,” noted Ngetich.
The issues facing wheat farmers, particularly in regions like Uasin Gishu, Nakuru, and parts of Laikipia must be resolved to support the sustainability of the wheat industry in Kenya.
“Small-scale wheat farmers in Kenya are facing challenges selling their produce due to various factors. They are experiencing post-harvest losses as they lack suitable grain storage facilities, leading to losses worth millions of shillings,” he observed.
Ng’etich lamented that some millers were offering prices below the agreed minimum price set by AFA causing further financial strain on farmers.
“The lack of a transparent grading is also another challenge because it has allowed millers to take advantage of farmers by determining prices independently without sharing test results, leading to mistrust and unfair treatment,” complained Ngetich.
Chief Executive Officer, CGA, Anthony Kioko, said they project to produce 1.7 million bags of wheat this year, with Uasin Gishu County producing an estimated 400,000 bags.
He however conceded that wheat production in the country had gone down significantly over the years due to land segmentation, increased cost of input, and lack of extension services.
A farmer from Uasin Gishu Raymond Kimeli, called upon the government and AFA to ensure that the tripartite agreement between the farmers and the millers is adhered to.
“It is futile and disappointing for farmers to work so hard throughout the year knowing the price that has been agreed upon and at the last minute it is not adhered to,” he complained.
“It is time the government, through NCPB ensures that we have standardized measurement and certification on the quality mainly the gluten content, moisture, and other purities so that it does not become an issue at the selling point,” he said.
By Kiptanui Cherono
