This archive report was first published on 3 October 2019.
On October 3, 2019, farmers in Mau Narok, Nakuru County, were complaining about being exploited by middlemen who buy their carrots at low prices and sell them in neighboring counties for a higher price.
George Muthega, a farmer in Subati, said they were selling a 150-kg bag of carrots for Sh1,000 instead of Sh2,000, which would enable them to meet production costs and earn a profit.
Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Executive Immaculate Maina attributed the problem to an inefficient supply chain for perishable farm produce, benefiting mostly business people.
James Mucheno said those who failed to sell to the brokers were often unable to find other buyers, leaving their carrots to rot in the farms.
“We have good weather patterns that improve the quality and quantity of our carrots, but we need better ways to deal with brokers who continue to exploit farmers,” said Mr Mucheno.
Dr Maina, however, said it was possible for the farmers to end the exploitation by joining cooperative societies to get better prices for their produce.
The farmers also lamented the high cost of farm inputs, saying a recently enacted law had pushed up the price of pesticides by 16 per cent.
Ms Wangui said they were not given subsidised fertilisers supplied by the national government, forcing them to buy the more expensive commodity from Agrovet shops.
A 50-kg bag of planting fertiliser is sold for between Sh2,800 and Sh3,500 depending on the brand.
