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{
"id": 1009730,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1009730/?format=api",
"text_counter": 116,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mandera South, JP",
"speaker_title": "Hon. Ali Adan",
"speaker": {
"id": 13418,
"legal_name": "Adan Hajj Ali",
"slug": "adan-haji-ali"
},
"content": " Hon. Speaker, I wish to respond to a request for a Statement by Hon. Kabinga Wachira of Mwea. He requested for a Statement regarding the purchase of paddy rice grown in Mwea Irrigation Scheme by the Government. Just to bring the House up to speed, the question was: Could the Cabinet Secretary explain the plans the Ministry has put in place to ensure the smooth and sustainable implementation of the Presidential Directive of 1st February 2020 on the Government buying paddy rice directly from farmers at a price of Kshs85? Hon. Speaker, as directed by His Excellency the President, the society has been able to pay farmers for paddy rice delivered at Kshs85 per kilogramme. The Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) has to date procured a total of 3,909 metric tonnes which is equivalent to 78,188 bags worth Kshs547, 314, 690 through Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Co-operative Society for white rice at Kshs140 per kilogramme as at 7th October, 2020. Hon. Speaker, the KNTC has equally paid Kshs547,314,690 as at 7th October 2020 to rice procured and hence there are no outstanding bills as at 7th October 2020 owed to the society. Hon. Speaker, as at 7th October 2020, the Kenya National Trading Corporation had sold a total of 31,879 bags, equivalent to 1,594 tonnes of locally produced rice worth Kshs201,695, 890 at an average unit price of Kshs160 per kilogramme of Mwea Pishori Rice and Kshs110 for Sindano Rice, respectively. Hon. Speaker, the second question of the Hon. Member is on the same Presidential directive of February 2020 on the establishment of a paddy rice revolving fund to facilitate the Government in buying paddy rice from farmers, and whether it is being implemented. The Corporation was allocated Kshs660 million as a revolving fund to purchase paddy rice. In part (iii) of the Statement Request, the hon. Member seeks to know when the KNTC is going to pay Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Co-operative Society for paddy rice worth Kshs200 million so that it can pay farmers. The KNTC temporarily suspended farmers’ procurement of rice from Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Co-operative Society due to non-moving stocks amounting to 3,335.5 tonnes in KNTC’s warehouses, which is equivalent to 66,708 bags worth about Kshs533,664,000. Rice distribution operation has been adversely affected by the closure of all learning institutions, suspension of recruitments by the disciplined forces and the scaling down of operations by other rice consuming Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), thereby slowing down the movement of the commodity from the farmers. There has been a lot of excess rice in the warehouses. As rice distribution operation resumes to the various MDAs in line with the projections given, the KNTC will be in a position to resume the uptake of paddy rice at Mwea and pay the farmers. Hon. Speaker, there is a very big challenge because the warehouses are full. The stocks are worth Kshs550 million and the next harvest is going to be in a couple of months. What is going to happen to the farmers? Despite the fact that rice distribution has been adversely affected by the closure of all learning institutions, suspension of recruitment by the disciplined forces and the The electronic version of the Official Hansard Report is for information purposesonly. A certified version of this Report can be obtained from the Hansard Editor."
}