The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) has once again been put to task after it was revealed that 750,000 bags of maize went to waste under its watch.
The loss, which cost taxpayers more than Ksh1.8 billion, resulted from a continuously used ineffective insecticide that pests were resistant to.
According to a report tabled by Auditor General Edward Ouko, the loss came about after top officials at the board ignored warnings from the store managers.
This expounds the debt at the troubled board to Ksh10 billion adding to the Ksh1.9 billion money meant for farmers that was never delivered and Ksh2.1 billion meant to supply farmers with fertiliser.
It is also projected that more maize at the godown is likely to go bad this harvesting season since no processors are interested in acquiring the expensive produce.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mwangi Kiunjuri, while answering questions at a Senate Committee, explained that the board imported maize at an exorbitant price of Ksh3,600 per bag.
The problem now, he continued, was that since it is a harvesting season, the board is selling the maize at Ksh2,300 per bag experiencing a loss of 36%.
Fresh produce from Kenyan farmers is being sold at between Ksh1,500 and Ksh1,800 per bag.
The Auditor General further accused the board of embezzlement claiming that they did not produce payment vouchers to suppliers who brought in the maize during the importation period.
The current management, headed by the acting Managing Director Alvin Sang, has argued that all the crises at the board should not be blamed on them as they are new. 1.2 million bags are set to be disposed off as they are yellowing.
