RICE MARKET JANE MUGAMBI 25/03/12 Rice farmers in the expansive Mwea rice irrigation scheme in Kirinyaga County are smiling all the way to the bank after the prices of their precious commodity shoot up with over 60%. Farmers are selling a 100 kilogram bag of unprocessed rice at 5,500 shillings up from 4,000 shillings last year December. A 100 kilogram of processed rice is now trading at 10,000 shillings following an intervention by National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB). The government owned NCPB has started purchasing the commodity after farmers urged the government to intervene and rescue them from unscrupulous business men who were buying their produce at a throw away prices. The government through ministry of finance has also banned importation of cheap rice from Pakistan a move which has stabilized the prices in the area. NCPB has taken over former National Irrigation Board warehouses which there are buying the produce from the farmers. In December unscrupulous business men were blending the imported rice with local aromatic bishori which they later sold at very low prices polarizing the market. Also some business people bought the commodity from the farmers and hoarded it in order to cash in during the rainy seasons where prices shoot up with over 100%. A farmer Gibson Karanja termed the current prices as encouraging pointing out that the prices may shoot up. HE also said that this will be for the first time since rice prices were polarized in the 90's. "I am very happy to know that the price of Mwea rice better known as Bishori is going up compared to the 90's when the farmers were robbed off their money by Sacco's and several individuals"said Karanja. Mwea multipurpose society chairman Pius Njogu said that he’s pleased by turnaround saying that farmers would have something to smile about. Ends…………………………………………………………………… 0723321326