Uasin Gishu Wheat Farmers Decry Market Glut, Call for Government Intervention
“The market is flooded, and millers are telling us they can’t buy our wheat because their stores are already full,” Samoie told the press
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By Jessica Nyaboke
Wheat farmers in Uasin Gishu County are grappling with frustration over a saturated local market, leaving them with no buyers for their produce.
According to Silas Samoie, a wheat farmer in the region, millers have declined to purchase their wheat, citing full storage facilities. He attributes this situation to an influx of cheap imported wheat, allegedly brought in by the government at the expense of local farmers.
“The market is flooded, and millers are telling us they can’t buy our wheat because their stores are already full,” Samoie told the press.
Currently, a 90kg bag of wheat is fetching Ksh 3,800, far below the Ksh 5,200 to Ksh 5,300 price range that farmers had agreed upon with the Agricultural Cereal Growers Food Authority (ACGFA) to regulate market prices.
“I feel that ACGFA is failing us instead of protecting farmers,” lamented Samoie, adding that many farmers are now contemplating abandoning wheat farming in favor of other cash crops.
Christopher Lagat, another farmer from Moiben, expressed concern over the financial strain caused by the market crisis.
“We cannot afford fertilizer, nor can we send our children to school because we haven’t been able to sell our wheat,” said Lagat.
Kipkorir Menjo, a farmers’ representative, criticized the government for reneging on a prior agreement that prioritized local farmers before allowing wheat imports to cover any deficits.
“We had agreed that local farmers would be given first priority before importing wheat to fill the gap,” Menjo said. “The new Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, Mutahi Kagwe, must urgently review this agreement and come to the aid of struggling farmers.”
Menjo further called for an increased national budget allocation for agriculture, emphasizing that the current 2.5% is insufficient compared to the recommended 10%.
“The government constantly refers to agriculture as the backbone of the economy, yet it is unwilling to allocate the necessary resources to support farmers,” he said.
Farmers are now urging swift intervention to stabilize wheat prices and ensure their livelihoods are safeguarded.
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