Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has announced that Kenya from July will import cheap fertilizer from Tanzania as part of the government’s plan to increase agricultural productivity.
The CS explained the importation will cut the country’s dependence on European countries and Morocco.
“The government will import fertilizer from Tanzania starting July this year as a short-term measure. I do not see the need to import fertilizer from faraway countries when we have it in Tanzania,” Linturi said.
“Because of the cheaper raw materials, and the distance between Kenya and Tanzania, this will ensure we have cheap fertilizer for our farmers.”
He said fertilizer has increased food production by up to 39 percent and reduced the cost of production in Tanzania.
Linturi revealed that have plans to invest in fertilizer production.
“Having a fertilizer manufacturing plant has the potential of spurring agricultural production by reducing the price of purchasing the critical farm input, resulting in reduced cost of food production,” he said.
However, agronomists have said the continuous use of non-organic fertilizer is to blame for the deteriorating state of soil in the country as most of the imported types have the wrong supplements designed for soils in Europe and North America.
