NAIROBI, July 3 (NNN-KBC) — The Ministry of Agriculture has refuted reports indicating that a consignment of fertilizer donated and shipped by the Russian Government to the Kenyan Government cannot be traced.
In a statement through the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), the Ministry says the shipment in question was handed over to NCPB, an agency that was obligated to receive and distribute the fertilizer.
“NCPB has accounted for the entire quantity received and transported for blending and granulation purposes,”
“The expected quantity of the donated consignment was 34,400MT. However, upon the ship landing and clearance, the amount handed over and received by NCPB was 33,835MT,” the board stated
The reports as regards the donation alleged that 564 tonnes of fertilizer from Russia disappeared in the high seas.
The volume of consignment from Moscow, according to NCPB represented 98.36% against the quantity indicated in the ship manifest.
“The resultant short landing was 1.64%. The allowed Tolerable Terminal loss within the shipping industry is 5%. Therefore, the percentage Tolerable loss reported on the consignment (1.64%) is within the acceptable limit in the Shipping industry,” the board stated in the statement
The Ministry reiterates that the fertilizer was donated on the basis of delivery to the port and that therefore no shipping costs were incurred by the Government. — NNN-KBC
