Shift to organic over the escalating price of chemicals
The Mountain Journal
Most farmers from Kirinyaga county have changed their farming methods due to an increase in pesticides prices.
John Maina used to do tomato, French beans farming has shifted to crops that require no or minimal use of pesticides.
Maina said for the 20 years he did commercial farming,prices on pesticides stood a major challenge for him and other farmers due to prices.
He also added that after an average calculation of the years he has done farming and the produce on sales, he ventured into pawpaw and passion fruit farming.
“After farming for over 20 years I have shifted to less consuming products, the prices for pesticides is too high for commercial farming of tomatoes,French beans,”he said.
Jecinta Mukami has shifted to sweet potato farming after realising the gap and also the crop does not need any chemicals.
Mukami says after that most farmers have also shifted from using fertiliser to locally available manure due to prices.
“Fertiliser,pesticide has turned to be expensive for farmers, I shifted my way of farming to farming that is affordable,and does not need fertilizers or pesticides’ ‘ said Mukami.
She also cited the high prices on petrol,which has crippled most farm activities.
“Farming is becoming expensive from farm inputs,chemicals used to petrol scarcity and high prices in fuel is a headache to most farmers “She added.
Mukami also said manure application has been well received saying the cost of manure has also turned expensive most manure being sold by the roadsides in Kirinyaga comes from Kajiado county that has turned to be scarce due to animal movement plans.
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