By Henry Owino
Siaya County, Kenya: Residents of Siaya County have been cautioned about selling their current farm produce at throwaway prices. Instead, the residents are urged to keep stock for the right time and sell it at better prices.
James Orengo, Siaya County Governor advised the inhabitants that most counties have not done well compared to Siaya. He said the bumper harvest experienced in most parts of the county is much better compared to other neighboring ones.
Orengo attributed the bumper yields to the mechanization of agriculture in Siaya County which included the provision of certified seeds, soil sampling, revamping of ecological farming, and observing rainfall patterns in the wake of climate change. All the sensitization efforts were implemented for smallholder farmers by the County Government of Siaya.
The governor noted that among the six Sub-counties in Siaya thus; Bondo, Gem, Alego-Usonga, Ugunja, and Ugenya, Rarieda registered high yields following the agriculture mechanization. He however expressed fear that the smallholder farmers may sell all the produce cheaply.
Orengo lamented that some people have started selling their maize below Ksh 100 per 2 kilograms of tin (gorogoro) and in a short while, they will start buying the same at Ksh 230 or even more.
Orengo alerted residents that buyers who purchase several sacks of maize or millet and beans cheaply now will sell the same cereals at exorbitant prices later. He, therefore, called upon the County Government officials to convene talks on how to prevent the farmers from exploitation by opportunists who would want to buy their maize at low prices.
“I went to visit a certain lady within Siaya County whom I found threshing maize manually and sun drying at her home. When I asked her about the farming outcome, she told me that she was in a hurry to prepare the maize for sale to meet certain needs of her own,” Orengo stated.
“It was at that point I knew there is going to be a problem of food despite the county’s bounteous harvest this year. So, we are going to organize as County Government to see how we can buy maize from our local smallholder farmers at reasonable prices,” the Governor disclosed.
Orengo urged farmers to be cautious to avoid facing hunger in the near future because areas that have been feeding Siaya County have registered relatively low yields this season, adding that the cost of living in the country is currently unpredictable.
The county boss said they will buy the maize at a reasonable price and then store it for future use so that the county does not face food shortage in the near future.
The Governor advised residents to factor in the cost of production and other expenses involved during farming before selling the produce. He pleaded that hunger of several months cannot be solved with a few hundred shillings considering the high cost of living in the country now.
Kevin Osido from Rarieda Sub-county conquered with the Governor’s sentiments while claiming it is so due to poverty and hunger driving people crazy. He asserts that most people depend on farm produce to sort out some emergency issues like school fees.
“But let me also plead with young people who even steal stored cereals of their parents or guardians in granaries to sell for nutty reasons. For instance, to buy motorbike fuel, buy credit cards, seduce girlfriends, buy latest attires, entertain friends in drinking sprees among others which is theft and wasteful,” Osido cautioned. It is a curse before God,” he added.
Osido revealed the current cost of 2kg tin (gorogoro) ranges between Ksh 200 to Ksh 230 depending on the location and quantities one buys in terms of wholesale or retail. Nevertheless, these plenty of harvests have cut down prices between Ksh 50 to Ksh 80, especially within homes.
He pointed out that his present maize surplus is approximately five bags set for sale beginning in late October or early November this year. He, however, said he usually targets institutions that pay much better compared to individual buyers or open market prices.
