Mutahi Kagwe Directs Farmers to Deliver Wheat to NCPB

The government has taken action to prevent a potential crisis affecting wheat farmers after many raised concerns about being unable to sell their produce due to various challenges.

On Monday, March 3, the Ministry of Agriculture, under the leadership of Mutahi Kagwe, announced that the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) would start collecting 321,000 bags of wheat from farmers across different regions in the country.

In an official statement, the ministry directed farmers to begin delivering their wheat to NCPB warehouses nationwide from Tuesday, March 4, 2025.

To ensure smooth operations and avoid financial delays, the government assured farmers that payments for the delivered wheat would be processed within 30 days.

Additionally, an agreement has been reached between NCPB and millers to facilitate the collection of wheat from NCPB storage.

As part of this arrangement, millers will be required to make payments to farmers within a period of 14 to 21 days. This initiative aims to provide financial relief to wheat farmers and streamline the supply chain.

This intervention is expected to bring much-needed relief to wheat farmers, particularly those in Narok County, who have been struggling with excess produce following a successful harvest this season.

In February, reports indicated that approximately 10 million bags of wheat, each weighing 90 kilograms, remained in storage after the harvesting period began in August 2024. Many farmers attributed the situation to a lack of interest from local millers, who preferred importing cheaper wheat instead of buying from them.

This preference for imported wheat has made it difficult for local farmers to compete in the market, despite their efforts to improve the quality of their produce and maintain stable prices.

To address these concerns, CS Kagwe issued a stern warning to dishonest millers attempting to bypass regulations by introducing imported wheat into NCPB’s supply system. He emphasized that any millers caught engaging in such fraudulent activities would face severe penalties.

Furthermore, the government is working to reduce the country’s reliance on wheat imports by encouraging local farmers to increase production. Currently, locally produced wheat only meets a fraction of the demand from millers. However, Kagwe aims to raise this percentage to 40% through better support for farmers.

Apart from purchasing wheat directly from farmers, the government also plans to use the data collected during the process to create a national database. This database will help in distributing subsidized fertilizer to farmers, enabling them to improve their yields and boost production in the future.

This move is part of the government’s broader strategy to strengthen the agricultural sector and support farmers in achieving better market conditions for their produce.

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