President William Ruto has said the current Sh2,500 subsidised cost of fertiliser could go down further soon should government find more resources.
Speaking in Kisii on Sunday, Ruto said his main focus is to support farmers by reducing the cost of farm inputs, particularly by cutting the cost of fertiliser.
"Na nimeuliza viongozi wenzangu, governor wetu na wabunge, mutusaidie ili wananchi hawa wasisafiri mahali mbali kwenda kutafuta hiyo mbolea," he said during a Sunday Service at Nyanturago, Kisii.
"Hiyo mbolea pia kazi yangu ni kupunguza gharama yake, nimepunguza sasa imefika Sh2,500. Mkifanya bidii na tukishirikiana na nipate pesa mahali ingine kidogo naweza kupunguza tena lakini hapo 2,500 sio mbaya hata nyinyi mnajua."
Farmers in Kisii and Nyamira started receiving subsidised fertiliser through a government subsidy programme worth Sh3.7 billion in March.
On August 15, the National Cereals and Produce Board said it had started selling the cheaper fertiliser in its depots across the country ahead of the short rains planting season in October.
In the 2023-24 Financial Year, the National Treasury allocated Sh5 billion to cater for the distribution of subsidised fertiliser to thousands of farmers ahead of the short rains season.
Ruto said as of now, the government has distributed four million bags of subsidised fertiliser to farmers across the country since the start of the year.
As a result of the subsidy, he said it is projected that the country's maize production will increase from last year's 44 million bags to 61 million bags this year.
The President called on farmers in Kisii and across the country to take advantage of the fresh online registration exercise to ensure they don't miss out on the cheaper fertiliser.
He said Kisii utilised only 30,000 bags of the consignment as compared to a county like Nakuru that purchased 400,000 bags.
"Mimi nawatangazia mjisajili ili tuweze kuwa na idadi tujue ni nani ako na acre ngapi, anafanya kilimo gani ndio tujue vile ya kuwasaidia," Ruto said.
