Farmers will pay half the previous price for certified seed and far less for sexed semen under a new government subsidy package aimed at cutting production costs and helping boost food and livestock production.
Deputy President Kithure Kindiki said the price of a kilogramme of certified seed had been reduced from Sh300 to Sh150, while a two-kilogramme pack will now retail at Sh300 instead of Sh600.
The new prices take effect immediately, with the government saying the move will give farmers access to quality planting material at a lower cost following a less productive farming season.
“The government has put in additional subsidy to support farmers,” Kindiki said, announcing the measures.
“Now that the season was not very, very productive, we have reduced the price of certified seeds by 50 per cent, effective immediately.”
Kindiki said farmers would be able to use the money saved on seed purchases to increase production as the government works to bring down the cost of farming.
The government has also sharply lowered the cost of sexed semen used in dairy breeding, cutting the price from Sh8,000 to Sh1,400 per dose for artificial insemination.
“Livestock farmers, we have reduced the price of sexed semen for dairy production from Sh8,000 to Sh1,400 for artificial insemination,” Kindiki said.
Sexed semen increases the chances of farmers getting female calves, which are important to dairy farmers because they can be used to replace or expand productive herds.
The lower cost is expected to make the breeding technology more affordable to small-scale dairy farmers, giving them greater access to improved breeding options that can support milk production and household incomes.
Kindiki announced the measures on Tuesday at his Karen office while receiving final technical preparedness reports for the first group of eight County Aggregation and Industrial Parks (CAIPs).
The eight parks are being equipped for operationalisation before the end of the year, with the government having identified the first value chains to be developed at each facility.
Meru and Embu will start with macadamia value addition, while Kirinyaga will focus on tomato paste manufacturing. Wajir will process leather and camel milk.
Kisii will manufacture avocado oil, Busia will process cassava into starch, Garissa will focus on sunflower oil and Migori will manufacture fish feed in the first phase of the CAIPs.
Kindiki also used the occasion to give an update on the national food security situation and preparations for El Nino rains.
The seed and dairy breeding subsidies are part of a wider set of government measures targeting agriculture, including subsidised fertiliser, support for cooperatives and investment in milk cooling and processing equipment.
The government has also been implementing changes in major agricultural value chains, including tea, sugar and dairy, as it seeks to improve production and reduce costs for farmers.
In the sugar industry, the government has been working on the privatisation of State-owned mills, restructuring their debts and clearing payment arrears owed to farmers.
Some sugar millers have also introduced more regular cane payments, including weekly payments, as efforts continue to improve the sector.