Days after Trade Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria issued a 72-hour ultimatum to farmers to sell their maize, the local farmers have called for an extension of the directive.
According to the farmers, their maize is yet to meet the requirements set for the produce to be sold to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
A section of them called for an extension of the deadline to cater to the harvesting period. They also demanded the government open the NCPB stores and allow them to access their facilities for free maize drying in a bid to meet the set requirements.
Taking issue with the CS's statement, John Komen, a maize farmer in Kapsitwet, Trans-Nzoia County, noted that Kuria's directive was unrealistic and impractical.
"It's not possible for the maize to be sold in 72 hours because we don't know who we are selling to. We are in a predicament as they did not give us people to sell the maize to," Komen told the press.
His sentiments were echoed by another farmer, Jonathan Melly, who noted that his maize could not be sold as it were yet to meet the NCPB requirements.
"What the CS stated is not probable because the maize consists of a moisture content of 30 percent and during the harvesting period, it takes five days to dry for the required moisture content to go down to 13.5 percent," Melly noted.
According to the farmers, they are afraid of missing out on the opportunity presented by the CS to offload the produce but urge the government to soften its stance.
The remarks by CS Kuria on Saturday, November 26, ordering the farmers to release the maize ahead of a Cabinet meeting to be chaired by President William Ruto slated for Tuesday, November 29.
"We have a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday where we shall be given a way forward. If the directive is to release (the maize) we shall release it.
"So you have 72 hours to release the maize before the Cabinet sitting. I see you have begun distributing the maize and I like that," stated Kuria.
