The NPK 10:26:10 fertilizer is now unacceptable for use in Kenya. Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture has found this fertilizer unfit for farming, and has, therefore, suspended its distribution.
The affected NPK fertilizer is issued by KEN Chemicals Limited, and distributed to farmers through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).
The Principal Secretary in the ministry, Dr. Paul Rono, has written to the NCPB to this effect, through the parastatal’s Managing Director, Mr. Joseph Kimote.
He asserted that the fertilizer, which is a blend of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium in the ratio 10:26:10, does not meet Kenyan farming standards.
President Ruto’s government, which came to power on the strength of its promises to help the underprivileged, has been subsidizing farming. In its early days, the government distributed free fertilizer mainly to boost maize and coffee production.
Currently, the government is liaising with fertilizer manufacturers to ensure the fertilizers reach the farmers at affordable prices.