NAROK, KENYA: Small-scale farmers in Mau-Narok area in Narok North have decried lack of markets for their produce forcing them to sell to brokers at below normal market price.
The over 3,000 farmers in areas such as Enabelbel, Oloropil and Olokurto have complained over high cost of production, harvesting and transportation coupled with lack of reliable market as their major challenges.
The farmers led by David Ole Ikaiyo, Wilson Kishoian and Amos Keshe said that the ongoing rains have also pushed the cost of production high adding that failure by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to buy from the farmers was a double-blow.
"Currently, there are only two buyers who are Mombasa Millers and Unga Limited who buy the produce but sometimes when they decline to buy, brokers take advantage and buy the produce at as low as Sh1,500 to 2000 per 90kg bag," said Ole Ikayo.
The small-scale farmers who grow between 10 acres to 15 acres of wheat also lamented over poor roads in the area which increases the moisture content of the wheat thus affecting the quality.
They complained that the millers buy the produce at Sh2800 per bag which they say was way too low as compared to the cost of production and called for more buyers to move in and buy their commodity at fair prices.
"To dry a bag of 90kg is Sh40 per bag, a farmer hires a lorry at around Sh20,000 to 30,000 from Mau-Narok to Narok NCPB depot and the amount increases by Sh10,000 as it waits for a potential buyer. When we finally sell, we get paltry Sh1000 per bag which is a loss,” said Kishoian.
They have however called on the county and national government to intervene by ensuring that the farmers get market for their wheat as well as get better roads to reduce the cost of production for the small-scale farmers.
