By MN Reporter

Local leaders and farmers in Kuria East and Kuria West have welcomed the move by the Kenya Kwanza Government to subisidise fertilizer as a way of combating with the high cost of living.

The leaders led by Kuria East member of parliament Marwa Kitayama said that the subsidy imparted on the fertilizers will greatly help many local farmers who have been pushing for the reduction of prices on the fertilizers and other farm inputs.

The legislator said that they will push the national Government to also consider subsidies on other farm inputs like chemicals,seeds and even fuel that still makes farmers get it hard to produce food and make the cost of living low.

The same sentiments were echoed by Kehancha division Assistant County Commissioner Benson Mwaura who called on the farmers to use the chance to produce more food crops and even cash crops that will help feed themselves and also sell and have money for other sustainable issues.

He called upon farmers to report any cartels involved in the sale and distribution of fertilizers to the neighbouring Tanzania at higher prices as the move is likely to deny the Kenyan farmers to get the subsidised fertilizers.

National Cereals and Produce Board regional representative Moses Toroitich said that the farmers should use the chance to produce more and also secure and store them safely and then sell to the NCPB when the prices are good to help them make profit.

The farmers led by Kuria farmers association chairman Peter Chacha said that the move will help them produce more.

They urged the leaders to also push for the subsidy on other farm inputs so that they are able to afford them and enable the local farmers to produce more food hence reduce the cost of living.

Kuria East legislator Marwa Kitayama took a swipe at the way the Azimio were demonstrating and urged the farmers to work hard so that they can reduce the cost of living and not engage in Azimio demonstrations.

They flagged off 3500 bags of subsidised fertilizers at the Kehancha and Ntimaru National Cereals and Produce Board depots.

The subsidised fertilizers will be given to farmers after sorting out the challenges that they face due to code delays and registration anomalies.