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Rice farmers in Kirinyaga have appealed to thegovernment to release Sh210 million owed to them for produce supplied to theKenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC).

The farmers said the delayed payment has left themstruggling to pay school fees and finance the current planting season.

Through the Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose CooperativeSociety (MRGM), they said the government had promised to settle the payment byJuly 31 after KNTC bought more than 1,800 tonnes of milled white rice from thesociety.

MRGM chief executive officer Antony Waweru said the societyhad fulfilled its part of the agreement within the three-week deadline despitebeing forced to operate its mill at night and on Sundays to meet the order.

“We delivered the total order, valued at Sh210 million,which was supposed to be paid by July 31 as agreed. Since then, we have waited,but the promise is only that we are going to be paid,” Waweru said.

He said the delayed payment had created a cash flow crisisfor both the society and farmers. Banks have been unable to clear some chequesissued to farmers because the cooperative has not received the money from KNTC.

Waweru appealed to the government to provide KNTC with fundsto enable the corporation to settle the outstanding amount, saying farmersneeded the money to pay school fees and finance crops already in the fields.

MRGM chairperson Ndege Muriuki said the society hadstruggled to find a market for its rice after farmers harvested their crop,prompting it to seek government intervention.

He said the Ministry of Agriculture, the Agriculture andFood Authority (AFA) and KNTC later agreed to purchase 1,824 tonnes of whiterice, equivalent to about 25,200 bags of paddy. The society was given threeweeks to complete the delivery.

“We are asking the government to use every means availableto facilitate payment so that we can pay farmers. We have many farmers withpressing needs, including taking their children back to school and preparingfor the next season,” he said.

Muriuki said farmers had traditionally expected to receivetheir payments around May or June, but the prolonged marketing crisis hadforced some to borrow from shylocks to meet household and farming expenses.

He said some elderly farmers had been visiting the society’soffices daily seeking payment, while the cooperative was under pressure fromfarmers and suppliers waiting for their dues.

The payment delay comes as farmers prepare to finance cropsalready transplanted in their fields, including the purchase of fertiliser andother farm inputs.

Francis Ndung’u, a rice farmer, said he had visited thesociety expecting either money or a cheque to enable him to pay school fees butwas informed that funds had not been released.

“We cannot even weed our farms or buy fertiliser. We alsoowe the National Irrigation Authority for water services, and they aredemanding payment,” Ndung’u said.

He said farmers were under pressure from creditors andhousehold expenses and urged the national government to speed up the release ofthe money.

Another farmer, Antony Mbote, said the cooperative hadpreviously helped farmers find a market for their rice before paying them, butthe current delay had left families struggling to meet education expenses.

“After we harvest rice, we bring it to the society, whichlooks for a market and pays us. But now we have not been paid, yet our childrenneed money to return to school and others are joining colleges,” Mbote said.

Source : msn