Government to resume subsidised fertiliser distribution on Monday

The distribution of subsidized fertilizer is set to resume on Monday after farmers faced delays due to logistical challenges.

Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced on Saturday that the government had resolved the issues, assuring farmers that over one million bags of fertilizer were ready for collection at National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) depots.

“We are aware that for the last two days, farmers who visited NCPB depots could not redeem their e-voucher messages to access subsidized fertilizer because of the logistical challenges to avail the farm input,” Kagwe said.

He reassured farmers that the situation had been addressed and that distribution would continue without disruptions.

“Despite the setback, the issuance remained stable all along. However, the government would like to assure farmers that all the logistical challenges have been addressed and that as of Monday 24th, March 2025, we expect the issuance of over one million bags of fertilizer to stabilize and match the high demand,” he said.

So far, at least 2.6 million bags have been distributed to support planting ahead of the long rains. Kagwe said efforts were in place to ensure farmers received fertilizer in time for the season.

“To fast-track delivery, we are now using train wagons which have already departed the Mombasa port and are set to arrive at the Naivasha inland port by Sunday morning. Further to boost our supplies, an additional 1,380 metric tons are en route to the Mombasa port,” he said.

The CS encouraged farmers to redeem their e-vouchers as early as possible to avoid delays in planting.

“The spirit of our farmers should remain high by coming out in numbers to redeem their e-voucher messages occasioned by the onset of the rains which could have caused panic among those who would not want to be late to plant their crops,” Kagwe said.

He also warned farmers to be cautious of fraudsters taking advantage of the high demand by selling fake or substandard fertilizer.

“We would also like to urge our farmers to beware of criminals taking advantage of the high demand of the farm input by illegally selling fake or substandard fertilizer," remarked Kagwe.

"Farmers are encouraged to only purchase fertilizers from registered distributors and NCPB. The efforts put in place by the Anti-Counterfeit Authority to crackdown such criminals are encouraged and hailed.”

Kagwe reiterated the government's commitment to ensuring that farmers receive quality inputs to boost agricultural productivity.