Kenya: Fast tracks potato bill to end exploitation
For the past two years, the Potato Produce and Marketing Bill has been pending before parliament, now, National Assembly Speaker Justin Muturi has promised to fast track the Bill which seeks to end exploitation of potato farmers by cartels.
It aims at establishing a National Potato Council to promote quality and quantity of production and to set standards to regulate the industry.
At least 24 counties stand to benefit if it sails through and signed into law by President Uhuru Kenyatta.
The Muturi, speaking in Nyandarua County on Saturday 30 July, said he understood what the legislation means to farmers and explained why its debate could not happen last week.
The Bill was to be debated last week, but Mr Muturi said the chairman of the House Committee on Agriculture appeared to oppose it when he started moving it in the House, forcing him to shelve it.
He said passage of the Bill will save farmers from exploitation by middlemen and cartels.
The Bill - which was drafted by Nyandarua Senator Muriuki Karue- among others, seeks to regulate potato packaging to insulate farmers from unscrupulous traders who purchase their produce in extra-large gunny bags at dismal prices.
Specific interventions would include regulating production, packaging, processing and marketing of the cash crop.
Source: allafrica.com
Fuente: http://www.freshplaza.com/article/161460/Kenya-fast-tracks-potato-bill-to-end-exploitation
