Dr Bimal Kantaria elected Chair of Fertiliser Association of Kenya
Elgon Kenya Director, Dr Bimal Kantaria has been elected as the new Chair of the Fertilizer Association of Kenya (FAK) following an annual general meeting held this week in Nairobi.
He will lead the association’s board for the 2023/2024 period.
Dr Kantaria, who also serves as the Chair of the Agriculture Sector Network (ASNET), will be assisted by Mr William Ng’eno of Yara East Africa Ltd in the role of Deputy Chair.
New appointments have been made to various positions including treasurer, secretary, as well as committee members.
The outgoing FAK Chair, Eustace Muriuki, provided an overview of the state of the country’s fertilizer industry and highlighted ongoing efforts to engage in dialogue with the government regarding fertilizer policy and regulatory reforms.
Despite the continued increase in global farm input prices, Mr Muriuki noted that the fertilizer industry performed fairly well in 2022.
“We contracted the African Fertilizer and Agribusiness Partnership (AFAP) to conduct a study on the ‘Risk Impact Assessment of Fertiliser and Annual Foodstuffs’. This initiative involved reviewing the draft Fertiliser and Animal Foodstuffs (Fertilisers) Regulations of 2021 to assess the impact of the proposed measures on the industry,” the outgoing Chair explained.
Expressing gratitude for his election to lead the FAK Board as the chair, Dr Kantaria affirmed his commitment to growing the fertilizer industry in the country.
His assumption of the new role coincides with government-led reforms in the Kenyan agricultural sector, including the review of fertilizer prices to ensure lower production costs.
Currently, a 50-kilogram bag of fertilizer is priced at Sh2,500 under the government subsidy program.
The Fertilizer Association of Kenya serves as an umbrella organization for manufacturers, importers, formulators, blenders, and distributors of organic and inorganic fertilizers in the country.
Established in 2009, its mandates also include protecting and furthering the interests of its members, as well as promoting professionalism and ethical standards within the fertilizer industry.
FAK works closely with members, government agencies, and other stakeholders to ensure that only quality fertilizers reach the farmers.
The association represents over 12, 000 agro-dealers, 150 distributors, and 16 fertiliser importers and manufacturers.