Farmers run out of time to prove they own pyrethrum firm

Farmers are pushing for more time to show proof of ownership of the revived Pyrethrum Processing Company of Kenya (PPCK). The verification process ended a few days ago, with only 3,000 farmers out of the expected 10,500 turning up.

The company which has been in existence for 51 years has remained unknown to many farmers who delivered flowers to the defunct Pyrethrum Board of Kenya that earned them a share in PPCK for every 300 kilogrammes of dry flowers delivered. The farmers are expected to elect directors of PPCK, the body mandated with processing and marketing of the crop, after the verification of stock certificates.

The Pyrethrum Regulatory Authority (PRA) managing director Solomon Odera said the exercise which started on August 18 had low turnout as thousands of farmers in the 18 pyrethrum-growing counties did not show up.

“We know some of the farmers inherited the crop from their relatives who may have since died and this may have caused the slow verification process,” Mr Odera said. But in Nakuru, Samuel Kihiu and Joseph Mukiri said the two-week window period given by PRA to verify the documents was not enough.

“Some of the farmers lost their documents during the post- election violence period while others have died and to trace documents that were issued 51 years ago is not an easy task and we request PRA to extend the deadline by at least one month,” said Mr Kihiu.

The revamped PPCK will be a private company owned by farmers and managed through directors elected by farmers with plans to declare dividends at the end of the year and release financial statements annually.

The verification of the stockholders certificates and personal identification documents by the government is aimed at establishing the real owners of the dormant PPCK.