Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe on Thursday ordered the destruction of 27,518 bags of expired fertiliser at various National Cereals Produce Board (NCPB) stores, assuring that the government and the public would not incur any losses.
In a communiqué, Kagwe noted that the costs would be borne by the supplier as the bags were supplied on a consignment basis, with the destruction set to be supervised by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS). "Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has today ordered the destruction of 27,518 bags of an expired consignment of fertiliser held in various National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) stores across the country," the Ministry stated. "The Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) is to supervise the safe destruction of this consignment of sulphate of ammonia (21%) fertiliser that was delivered to NCPB by the supplier between December 27, 2024, and January 6, 2025," it further added.
A hand holding fertiliser Photo Canva As per the ministry, the consignment delivered to NCPB, a total of 34,100 bags (50 kg), came after prior tests done by KEBS had revealed that the fertiliser complied with Kenyan standards. "Prior to contract execution, samples of the fertiliser were drawn by the Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) for testing, and the results indicated that the fertiliser complied with the requirement for Sulphate of Ammonia (21%N) and NPK fertilisers as per Kenyan standards," noted the Ministry.
However, upon delivery, the Board noted the short shelf-life of the fertiliser, which was set to expire towards the end of February.
