Counties

Nakuru potato farmers want 50kg packaging regulation enforced

LEE

Governor Lee Kinyanjui. PHOTO | DIANA NGILA | NMG

Potato farmers in Nakuru now want Governor Lee Kinyanjui to intervene and end exploitation by brokers.

They said middlemen continue flouting a packaging law the county assembly passed four years ago.

“Implementation of the 50-kilogramme bag packaging rule has failed because of a lack of coordinated efforts among the leaders. We call for urgent intervention by the governor to shield farmers from the exploitation,” said Joseph Towett, the farmers’ spokesperson.

The law signed in 2014 by former governor Kinuthia Mbugua outlawed packaging of potatoes in more than 50-kilogramme bags.

The farmers now want the county government to work with governors from other potato growing counties to come up with measures to enforce the law.

A spot-check by the Business Daily in various parts of the county, including Mau Narok, Molo, Njoro and Kuresoi found that traders package potatoes in 150-200-kg bags.

“We are suffering a lot in the hands of cartels. They literally control the market,” said John Okemwa, a farmer.

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