The government has bought over 80,000 bags of rice estimated at Sh85 per kilogramme from the giant farmers backed Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Co-operative Society Ltd (MRGM).
The produce was sold at Sh700 million through the Kenya National Trading corporation (KNTC) that entered pact with the society based in Kirinyaga county.
Society chairman Mr Ndege Muriuki said that the current stock at the silo’s
is for December since that is the harvesting time and that through the
president’s directive, all farmers brought their rice at the silos.
The price was very lucrative for farmers since independence adding
that was the reason as to why they opted to voluntarily store their
paddy rice at the silos.
“The KNTC bought rice but left some bags, we were forced to take a
loan so as to first pay farmers” said Ndege.
At the moment the silos are full and we cannot store outside, due to
the unpredictable climate in the area, if it rains then the rice will
get destroyed by the rains.
Ndege said that farmers had the expectations of prices going up during
the next season where Munya said that unless they (farmers) review the
prices, the government is not able to buy from them citing
competition. ”we expected the prices to be better next season than
last years, but we are surprised that we have been told the price has
to be reviewed downwards” said Ndege.
This year the society has been able to sell 15,000 bags from the
90,000 bags stocked at the silos.
“This is because the market is flooded, what we can pay is very
little we have been able to sell only 15,000 bags” Ndege added.
The chairman said that the only left option would be that through the
agreement the society be selling to KNTC so as to pay farmers on time
also to ensure that the crop of the that season is cleared-“we are
unable to manage the current crop since there is no money in the
farmers pocket” headed.
On his part the agriculture CS Peter Munya said that the government
will not be able to buy rice from the society if at all the prices
will not be reviewed.
He said that the government agencies that receive rice from the
ministry have complained of high prices from the Mwea rice-comparing
same from other rice growing areas.
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