Kenya’s annual production of wheat will be buoyed by an expected bumper harvest in the South Rift.

Farmers in Narok District, the largest producers of wheat in the country, expect to produce about 7.5 million bags this season.

The country produces about 27 million bags of wheat annually but imports the commodity to meet the national deficit.

Narok Wheat Farmers Association (NWFA) projects a production of about 20 - 27 bags per acre.

The association said it plans to put about 55, 000 hectares under the crop, this year.

David Mpatiany, the NWFA chairman said if the long rains continue, a bumper harvest will be a reality, adding that 90 per cent germination in most parts of the larger district is expected when planting begins in March-April.

Bags produced

"We expect a good harvest this season. The last two seasons were poor as farmers harvested an average of 10 to 17 bags per acre due to bad weather," he said.

The farmers want the Government to subsidise the costs of farm inputs for maximisation of yields.

In Video: Kenya Farmers

Adobe Flash Player not installed or older than 9.0.115!

Planting in the about 25,000-acre Nkorinkori wheat field in upper Narok is underway and farmers expect the crop to be ready by June.

In the Mau zone, planting will take place between August and September. Harvesting is underway.

Mr Mpatiany said apart from the bad weather, farmers recorded dismal harvests in the last two seasons, because pests resistant to pesticides, extreme cold conditions and stem rust disease. The high cost of fertiliser, which forced farmers to reduce acreage also contributed to poor harvests.

To boost production the Kenya Agricultural Research Institute (Kari) is expected to unveil more varieties of wheat seeds resistant to stem rust. The local Agriculture office said between 2003-2006 seasons, the area in each year produced more than 9.1 million bags with farmers earning more than Sh300 million.

Statistics from the Ministry of Agriculture indicate, the country annually produces about 27 million bags of the crop. Imports make up for the shortfall.       
-The Standard