The Trade and Industry Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria has said that the country is expecting over 61 million bags of maize that were planted under the government fertiliser subsidy programme.

While assuring that food prices will drop in the coming month the CS hinted at scaling up the subsidy programme in the coming season.

Kenyans have been grappling with high maize prices in the country, for the first time witnessing the wholesale price of maize cross the Sh6,000 mark.

“The farmers who did not get the subsidised fertilisers are the ones who were not registered. When we told them to register they were demonstrating,” said Kuria.

The expected harvest is an increase from the 44 million that was recorded last year.

In addition to the 3.5 million bags provided to farmers this year, the government announced plans to distribute an additional 3 million bags of fertilizer next year bringing the total to 6.5 million.

Early this month, the Central Bank of Kenya also released a survey projecting a bumper harvest in maize production, estimated to reach 44.6 million bags, the highest since 2018, a move that it termed as a positive turnaround for the agricultural sector.

Farmers have been accessing bags of subsidized fertilizer through the E-voucher System launched in March with the aim of ensuring traceability and full accountability of the distribution process.

Upon registration, an e-voucher is generated for a National Cereals Produce Board (NCPB) or KNTC store, which the attendant validates before handing over the fertilizer to the farmer upon payment.

The government says it has remained committed to supplying over 300,000 metric tonnes of fertilizer during the long rains to enhance crop yields and productivity.

The CS was speaking during the launch of edible oil dispensers where he disclosed that talks are rife to introduce a half-kilogram of flour that will be affordable to all Kenyans.

On August 2, President Ruto announced the second phase of the fertilizer subsidy program, which will see a 50-kg bag of fertilizer now cost Sh2,500, down from Sh3,500.

Addressing the nation at the State House in Nairobi, Ruto said affordable fertilizer will boost crop production in the coming short rain season.