The National Treasury has allocated Sh3.6 billion for fertiliser subsidy program for the 71,000 Metric tonnes of fertiliser to be subsidised.
Through a statement, Agriculture Principal Secretary Francis Owino said that a 50kg bag of DAP fertiliser will sell at Sh3,500, CAN at Sh2,875, urea at Sh3,500, NPK at Sh3,275, MOP at Sh1,775 and Sulphate of Ammonia at Sh2,220.
“To ensure efficient delivery and effective control mechanisms are in place, the fertilisers will be availed through the National Cereals and Produce Board [NCPB] depots and sub-depots country-wide, effective September 19, 2022,” read the statement.
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 on September 19 and will be channelled 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,” he said.
Individual farmers will be entitled to a maximum of 100 bags of 50kgs.
According to Owino, the subsidised fertilizer will support the cultivation of approximately 1.4 million acres of land.
During his inauguration, Ruto said that there are arrangements already being made to ensure that the prices of fertiliser will be lowered from the current price of Sh6,500 to Sh3,500 per 50kg bag.
“Our priority intervention, therefore, is to make fertilizer, good-quality seeds, and other agricultural inputs affordable and available. For the short rainy season, we have already made arrangements to make 1.4 million bags of fertilizer available at Sh3,500 for a 50kg bag down from the current Sh6,500. This will be available from next week,” Ruto said.
He also called on county governments in Eastern, Central and Western regions to cooperate with the national administration in ensuring their farmers are able to access fertiliser.