Rice farmers in Mwea, Kirinyaga County have protested the move by government to import duty-free rice saying they have enough stock to feed the country until the next harvest in 2023.
This protest comes barely a week after the Ministry of Agriculture gazetted the duty-free importation of at least 1.5 million tonnes of maize and rice.
Moreover, the farmers argue that duty-free rice will damage the market for their produce as it is likely to be cheaper.
According to them, high production costs mean they would have to sell at a loss to compete.
“Lakini wasilete mchele ya mzungu kama huku hatujamaliza mchele yetu. Kuenda kununulia Mpakistan mchele si kusaidia hustler, ni kuua hustler. Tumelima na gharama ya juu sana…fertilizer na kila kitu ilikuwa juu…halafu mtuletee mchele ya nje yenye wamesaidiwa na serikali yao kulima na sisi hapa ni ku-hustle…hiyo ni kutumaliza,” lamented Pius Njogu, a farmer.
Nonetheless, the farmers want the government to purchase their produce before any importation of similar products.
They also noted that they are experiencing a bumper harvest.
Also Read: Govt’ to Allow Millers Import Maize, Rice Duty-Free from Feb to Aug 2023
“Farmers are harvesting the main crop and so far, they have brought 400,000 tonnes to the society, and we are expecting more and more rice to come,” said Ndege Muriuki, Chairman of the Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Co-Op Society.
Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Co-Op Society Chairman Ndege Muriuki on his part noted: “I would ask the government to sincerely consider the rice farmer in Mwea and elsewhere before they think of any importation, they offtake our rice so that we can be able to return to the farm.”
Nonetheless, Crop Development Principal Secretary Kello Harsama approved the importation of duty-free maize and rice in a gazette notice on Thursday, two days after President William Ruto announced plans to import the produce between February and August next year.
In the notice, millers interested in importing the produce were given 15 days to submit their documents.
It also indicated that 600,000 metric tonnes of rice and 900, 000 metric tonnes of maize will be coming into the country to bridge the deficit
However, Kirinyaga Senator James Kamau Murango has written to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) asking them to mobilize funds through the strategic food reserve trust fund and buy rice through the Mwea NCPB depot saying farmers are experiencing a bumper harvest
