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{
    "id": 676884,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/676884/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 128,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Hon. Limo",
    "speaker_title": "",
    "speaker": {
        "id": 1915,
        "legal_name": "Joseph Kirui Limo",
        "slug": "joseph-kirui-limo"
    },
    "content": "many challenges in labour. It is high time the companies involved in tea production recognize the importance of stabilizing the market. The other issue which is of great concern is about the flower sector. Though it has contributed to our economy a lot, we want to bring it to the attention of the Government. We want it to investigate. There are some companies which are not practising good practices. They register as small farms and yet they are not. There is a company called James Finley which has started a farm in my constituency. It is recognized as a small firm while it is managed by multi- nationals. We can consider that as fraud. We should have such legal frameworks to address such investors who are not sincere. As we talk, they have threatened to sack 600 employees who belong to Lemotit Farm in my constituency. It is risky for the economy. I call upon the Cabinet Secretary (CS) to intervene immediately because the market is becoming very unstable. My constituents are up in arms. They are going to cause a lot of mayhem. I call upon this House to support legal frameworks like this to ensure the market is regulated. The cereals sector has faced equally serious problems. In my constituency, I have three warehouses of the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). For a very long time, they have been seriously under-utilized. I want to support this Bill which will bring a structured way of trading in agricultural commodities, especially maize. Most farmers have lost huge amounts of cereals through lack of proper storage. They keep produce in their stores for a very long time waiting for prices to improve. A receipting system will save the farmers in two ways. They can release their produce two months after harvesting. The release of agricultural produce to the warehouses will save them in terms of weight. That is because cereals become very light when they are very dry. The other serious risk is the destruction caused by pests. Those pests have been destroying most produce of our famers. They have caused a lot of losses to this country. Though we produce a lot of maize, we have never attained self-sufficiency because of fluctuations. You will find that there is a lot of produce or over-supply in our markets some months in the year. There is shortage shortly thereafter. The reason is a serious lack of proper storage. Introduction of this receipting system will ensure we store this maize in a proper manner. There is lack of stability in market prices. Our market prices will be stable when we introduce that receipting system, It is because there will be a constant supply of cereals and other produce to the market. The Government will be able to release it in a timely and much organized manner. One of the biggest issues in this country is that we cannot know how much we have in store. In most cases, you will find people claiming there is a lot of stock whereas it is not there. In some cases, you will find the Government stating that we have very low produce while there is a lot of maize in our stores. If we introduce this system countrywide, the Government will get the real numbers, quantities and grades. It will help the Government seek market early because they will know when we have extra. If the farmer is not able, willing or ready to dispose of their produce at that time, they will have an alternative recognition of their stock. As it is, you can have produce in your store but it is not useful if it is not sold because it is not recognized as an asset anywhere in the world. Once we implement this receipting system, farmers will be having receipts and they will be able to produce them to the bank to access quick credit. The farmers will be able to even access supply of fertilizer before they get the right market for their produce. In terms of helping farmers have an alternative asset, it is a very wonderful system. I want to end this by urging the House to support this very important Bill. I urge the CS of the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries to be on the look out to ensure all players 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."
}