State confirms accountability for Russian donated fertiliser

The PS told the Star that usually up to five percent losses are allowed during shipment.

This, he said, is associated with temperature fluctuation and handling.

The government has affirmed that the fertiliser donated by Russia government can fully be accounted for contrary to media reports claiming it disappeared before reaching the National Cereals and Produce Board.

Agriculture Principal Secretary Paul Ronoh said the fertiliser received was less by 1.6 per cent which is within losses allowed during shipment.

According to Ronoh, the losses are associated with temperature fluctuation and handling.

“NCPB only received them on behalf of the ministry. While receiving, the cereals board realised it was less by 1.6 per cent which is within losses allowed during shipment,” he said.

The PS told the Star that usually up to five per cent losses are allowed during shipment due to temperature fluctuation and handling.

“It was hard to pin down Russia since it was a donation,” he added.

Ronoh noted that this was the fertiliser donated and shipped by the Russian government to the Kenyan government.

This comes after a report from the Auditor General Nancy Gathungu revealed that 564.1 metric tonnes of raw fertiliser worth approximately Sh197 million went missing before reaching NCPB.

The audit report which was released on June 30 indicated that the missing fertiliser consignment was part of a larger donation of 34,400 tonnes of raw material from Russia.

The donation came amid the war crisis between Russia and Ukraine.

“NCPB received 33,835.9 metric tonnes, hence a short landing of 564.1 metric tonnes from the 34,400 metric tonnes donated by Russia. The cause of the short landing was not explained,” the audit report stated.

NCPB has also come out and clarified the reports stating that initially, the shipment was to be received by the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) but later on the obligation to receive and distribute the fertilizer was handed over to it.

A brief about the fertiliser stated that the expected quantity of the donated consignment was 34,400MT.

“However, upon the ship's landing and clearance, the amount handed over and received by NCPB was 33,835MT. This was 98.36 per cent against the quantity indicated in the ship manifest. The resultant short landing was 1.64 per cent,” the statement reads.

“The allowed tolerable terminal loss within the shipping industry is five percent. Therefore, the percentage tolerable loss reported on the consignment (1.64 per cent) is within the acceptable limit in the shipping industry.”

NCPB further stated that the fertiliser was donated on the basis of delivery to the port and therefore, no shipping costs were incurred by the Government.

“NCPB has accounted for the entire quantity received and transported for blending and granulation purposes,” the cereals board said.

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