Rice farmers in the Mwea Irrigation Scheme are hopeful of receiving their delayed payments soon as the government ramps up the purchase of locally milled rice. According to Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose Cooperative Society (MRGM) Chairman Ndege Muriuki, the government is currently buying approximately 2,000 bags of milled rice daily from the cooperative’s stores in an effort to clear existing stock.
Muriuki noted that the cooperative has also partnered with private millers to boost processing capacity, with milling operations now running 24 hours a day. This move aims to accelerate the handling of large volumes of harvested rice that had piled up in storage. He explained that the backlog of rice stocks had delayed payments to farmers, despite earlier assurances that payments would be made by June. At one point, more than 50,000 bags remained unsold before the government stepped in, even as farmers continued to bring in produce from the ongoing third harvest.
The cooperative now expects all the rice currently in its stores to be fully purchased within the coming week, raising hopes among farmers awaiting their dues. Meanwhile, the issue of rice imports has sparked fresh concerns. The High Court recently certified as urgent a petition challenging the duty-free importation of 490,000 tonnes of rice and directed the government to release all relevant documentation within seven days.
Farmers in Mwea are now preparing for the main planting season while still handling the current harvest. Many fear that an influx of imported rice could lower prices for locally grown varieties, particularly the popular pishori rice. Some farmers who sell their produce through private millers have expressed frustration over slow uptake, urging the government to prioritise buying all locally produced rice before allowing further imports. Private millers have also cited the planned imports as a key factor affecting demand, leaving significant quantities of rice still in storage across the irrigation scheme.
