Nakuru County has begun a countywide public participation process on the Draft Agricultural Produce Cess Bill, 2026, with stakeholders from Nakuru East and Nakuru West sub-counties holding the first consultative forum on Monday.

‎The meeting marked the official start of a series of engagements aimed at collecting views from farmers, traders, cooperatives, processors, transporters, market associations and other stakeholders in the agricultural value chain. The input gathered will inform the final version of the bill before it is submitted to the Nakuru County Assembly for debate and approval.

A resident reading a copy of the Nakuru County Agricultural Produce Cess Bill,2026. eeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee

Photo credit: MUTHONI WANJIKU/ MTAA WANGU

‎‎According to the draft legislation, the proposed law seeks to establish a legal framework for the imposition, collection, administration and accountability of agricultural produce cess within the county. It also sets out mechanisms for managing the revenue generated, with an emphasis on financing agricultural infrastructure, services and broader sector development programmes.

‎‎The bill proposes differentiated cess rates across various commodities. For cereals such as maize, wheat and barley, large and medium-scale traders would pay 1 percent of gross turnover, while small-scale traders would be charged Sh20 per 50-kilogram bag. Small grains including sorghum, millet and grain amaranth would also attract a cess of 1 percent of gross turnover.

‎‎In the horticulture subsector, flower traders would pay Sh400 per tonne, while vegetable produce would attract Sh1 per kilogram. Industrial crops such as coffee, tea, sisal and pyrethrum would be charged at 1 percent of gross turnover. Macadamia nuts would attract Sh50 per 50-kilogram bag, while sunflower and canola would be charged Sh40 per bag.

‎‎Other proposed rates include Sh50 per 50-kilogram bag for beans, soya beans, pigeon peas, cowpeas and green grams. Producers of hay and lucerne would pay Sh5 per bale, while potatoes, sweet potatoes and cocoyams would attract Sh20 per 50-kilogram bag. Milk traders would also remit 1 percent of their turnover.

‎‎County officials noted that the proposed charges are designed to balance revenue generation with the varying scales of production and trade across different agricultural commodities, while supporting sector growth.

‎‎Meanwhile, the public participation exercise is expected to continue across the county until June 11. Stakeholders from Bahati and Subukia sub-counties are scheduled to meet on June 9 at the Bahati Kiamaina Ward CDF Office, while a separate forum for stakeholders from Njoro and Rongai sub-counties will be held at Njoro Home Craft Social Hall on the same day.

‎‎On June 10, stakeholders from Kuresoi North, Kuresoi South and Molo sub-counties will convene at Molo Social Hall. The final forum is scheduled for June 11 at the Naivasha Sub-County Offices, bringing together stakeholders from Naivasha and Gilgil sub-counties.

muthoniw813@gmail.com

Nakuru county begins public participation forums for draft Agricultural Produce Cess Bill, 2026

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Muthoni Wanjiku