Narok Farmers Demand Higher Wheat and Maize Prices Amid Rising Production Costs

Wheat and maize farmers in Narok County are calling on the government to intervene in grain pricing, warning that many producers could abandon the two staple crops if low market prices and rising production costs continue to erode farm profits.

The farmers are demanding a minimum producer price of Sh6,000 for a 90-kilogram bag of Grade One wheat, arguing that the current market price of between Sh3,100 and Sh3,200 offered by millers is unsustainable. They also want government intervention to improve returns for maize farmers, who they say are facing similar pricing challenges.

Speaking in Narok Town, farmer representative Stanley Konyo said escalating fuel prices have sharply increased the cost of mechanized farming, making wheat and maize production increasingly unprofitable for large-scale growers.

“Most large-scale farmers depend on tractors for tilling, harrowing, planting, spraying and harvesting. But because of the increased fuel prices, the cost of production has shot up too high, forcing many to withdraw from farming,” Konyo said.

He noted that the cost of tilling one acre has risen from Sh1,800 to Sh2,500, while harrowing now costs about Sh1,500, up from Sh1,000. These increases, he said, have forced some farmers to leave large portions of their land uncultivated despite the onset of the long rains.

Konyo urged the government to establish a guaranteed minimum price of Sh6,000 per 90-kilogram bag of wheat to provide farmers with predictable returns throughout the year.

He also appealed for the timely availability of subsidized Diammonium Phosphate (DAP) fertilizer, noting that farmers are currently purchasing the input from retail outlets at about Sh3,200 per 50-kilogram bag, compared to the subsidized price of around Sh1,800.

Another farmer, David Kilesi, said the rising cost of production has prompted many growers to reduce wheat acreage or abandon the crop altogether. Instead, some landowners are leasing their farms to small-scale producers cultivating potatoes, cabbage, carrots, peas and maize, which they believe offer quicker and more reliable returns.

Despite favorable weather conditions over the past year, Kilesi said production costs continue to undermine farmers’ profitability and discourage investment in grain farming.

He called on the government to expand subsidies on farm inputs, lower import duties on fertilizers and pesticides, and introduce guaranteed minimum returns to help farmers recover from poor harvests and repay agricultural loans.

“Government support is necessary if farmers are to continue producing enough food while remaining financially viable,” he said.

Farmer Joseph Ole Nchoe also urged producers not to sell their wheat below the recommended prices of Sh6,000 per bag for Grade One wheat and Sh5,500 for Grade Two wheat, saying accepting lower prices weakens farmers’ bargaining power and undermines the industry’s sustainability.

Narok remains one of Kenya’s leading wheat-producing counties and plays a critical role in the country’s grain supply. However, farmers warn that unless production costs are reduced and farm-gate prices improve, the country risks declining wheat and maize acreage as growers shift to alternative enterprises offering better economic returns.