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Agriculture and Livestock Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has instructed all farmers and aggregators to begin delivering their wheat stocks to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) starting Tuesday morning.
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This decision by CS Kagwe addresses the wheat crisis where farmers were left with 321,000 bags of unsold wheat after harvest. He confirmed that farmers would be paid within 30 days after delivering their wheat to NCPB warehouses nationwide.
In a memorandum of understanding set to be signed today between NCPB and the Millers, the wheat will be collected by the millers from NCPB, with payments to be made within 14 to 21 days.
CS Kagwe also warned anyone attempting to disrupt the process by delivering imported wheat to NCPB, stating they would be arrested for undermining the effort.
The CS emphasized his commitment to reducing wheat imports by increasing local production, aiming to boost local farmers’ contribution from the current 8% to over 40% of the millers’ demand.
This initiative will also help create a database to distribute subsidized fertilizers, lowering production costs and increasing profits for farmers.
CS Kagwe made these remarks following a meeting held at the Kilimo House to address the challenges faced by farmers.
The meeting was attended by Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh, NCPB Managing Director Samuel Karogo, Agriculture and Food Authority Director General Bruno Linyiru, Agriculture Secretary Collins Marangu, as well as representatives from the Agricultural Cereals Millers Association (CMA) and the Cereal Growers Association (CGA).
