Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi has directed the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) and Kenya Seed outlets countrywide to remain open during the Easter holiday to facilitate farmers’ needs during this planting season.

This directive aims to ensure that farmers are not disadvantaged by the festivities that commenced Friday and will run through Monday next week.

“We wish to notify our stakeholders that NCPD depots will remain open to serve customers during the Easter holiday. Farmers with e-vouchers messages are welcome to redeem subsidized fertilizer during the Easter period,” said Linturi.

The CS further assured farmers that all farm inputs at NCPB stores are tested and certified by approved regulatory agencies.

This directive comes amidst reports indicating fake fertilizer bags circulating at NCPB stores across the country.

Earlier, the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) accused a Kenyan-based regional fertilizer merchant of fraud after it emerged that the firm supplied substandard fertilizer to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB).

Managing Director Esther Ngari told MPs that initially, the company had complied with all requirements, prompting the agency to issue permits for the supply of organic fertilizer. However, it later committed fraud by violating the standards.

KEBS stated that the firm applied for certification on January 13 and secured approval on January 28, 2023.

“During our surveillance, we sampled the product being sold in agro vets and finally obtained intelligence that the product was being supplied through NCPB stores. Test reports showed the product failed on organic matter,” Ngari said.