Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the government will meet half the cost of certified maize seed . [Elvis Ogina, Standard]
President William Ruto’s directive to cut the cost of maize production is set to take effect in September, with the government announcing a 50 per cent reduction in the price of certified maize seed and a further cut in the cost of subsidised fertiliser.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the government will meet half the cost of certified maize seed, reducing the farmer’s price from Sh300 to Sh150 per kilogramme. The intervention is expected to target approximately 40 million kilogrammes of maize seed, translating to a government subsidy of about KSh6 billion.
The move implements President Ruto’s announcement that maize seed prices would be reduced by half from September as the government shifts its agricultural support strategy from subsidising consumption to lowering the cost of production.
Under the new arrangement, farmers will pay Sh300 for a 2kg pack of maize seed, down from Sh600. A 10kg pack will cost Sh1,500 instead of Sh3,000, while the price of a 25kg pack will fall from Sh7,500 to Sh3,750.
Kagwe said the cheaper inputs are intended to cushion farmers from drought-related losses while encouraging them to maintain production despite difficult weather conditions.
“The Government will meet 50 per cent of the cost of certified maize seed,” Kagwe said, adding that farmers would access the subsidised seed and fertiliser through Government-designated distribution channels.
The government is also reducing the price of subsidised fertiliser from Sh2,500 to Sh2,000 for a 50kg bag. The measure builds on the National Fertilizer Subsidy Programme introduced under the Ruto administration.