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{
"id": 113863,
"url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/113863/?format=api",
"text_counter": 209,
"type": "speech",
"speaker_name": "Mr. Samoei",
"speaker_title": "The Minister for Agriculture",
"speaker": {
"id": 204,
"legal_name": "William Samoei Ruto",
"slug": "william-ruto"
},
"content": " Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, as you are aware, Members have raised concern about the position of Government with respect to the purchase of maize. There has been a bumper harvest in the country and legitimate concerns have been raised by Members on the status of Government to purchase that maize. I, therefore, wish to make the following Statement. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, the 2009 long rains fell short of expectation in amount and distribution in the main grain growing area of the country. Despite this situation, a total of 20 million bags were harvested in the long rains against an expected average of 28 million bags. This is against a national annual consumption requirement of about 38 million bags. The current strategic reserves stand at 2,496,000 90-kilogramme bags. The Government has purchase 894,389 bags of maize from the long rains of 2009, mainly from the North Rift. The Government has paid farmers Kshs1, 472,225,000. Outstanding debts at the moment stand at Kshs726 million. Maize production during the short rains was 8.7 million bags against a target of between four and six million bags, with Eastern Province contributing 5.3 million bags which is about 60 per cent. The balance of 3.4 million bags was from Central, Coast, Western and Nyanza provinces and parts of South Rift. Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir, 6,000 acres in Bura, Hola and Tana irrigation schemes were put under maize. The expected production from this acreage is approximately 120,000 bags out of which 37,000 bags of maize have been harvested from the initial area of 2,341 acres. We are yet to harvest maize from another 3,600 acres in Bura, Hola and Tana irrigation schemes. Mr. Deputy Speaker Sir, the Government released last Friday, Kshs700 million for purchase of grain in areas that I have mentioned; another Kshs800 million will be released in the course of the next ten days. The Treasury has also undertaken to release an extra Kshs2.3 billion to enable the stimulus programme continue, especially in the irrigation schemes. It is important for me to also mention that the Government will be buying the maize at Kshs2,300 per bag, as has been done in the past. We intend, however, to review that price later this year. Thank you Mr. Deputy Speaker, Sir."
}