KEL Chemicals LTD

Industry

Crop protection, Food ingredients, Industrial chemistry, Water

Topics

Crop protection chemicals & fertilizers, Seaweed, alginate & carrageenan

Role

Producer — “…nd Central Africa’s leading manufacturer of phosphate fertilizers and sulphuric acid-based industrial chemical…”

Parent / group

Jeetendra Kumar Somchand, Mahendra Kumar Somchand Haria, Pankaj Somchand Haria, Pradip Somchand Haria, and Deveshkumar Bhupendrabhai Patel

Why it is bioeconomy

KEL Chemicals is a long-standing Kenyan manufacturer of fertilizers and industrial chemicals that has recently faced legal and regulatory challenges regarding product quality standards.

Found via

[Rubric] Kenya · struvite

Not yet cited as a supplier in a graded solution.

• 2024-04 Latest status: The company's operations were suspended by the Kenyan government in April 2024 following allegations of distributing substandard fertilizer, and a subsequent legal appeal against the Kenya Bureau of Standards was dismissed in March 2025. ↗ ↗ ↗
• Status review: active — Operating in 2026 (fertilizer under Kenya subsidy programme) but accused of supplying substandard fertilizer (KEBS tests); 2024 suspension reported. Evidence: 2026-09-28 — Tested fertilizer meets quality requirements, farmers assured - Breaki (https://www.breakingkenyanews.com/2024/04/06/tested-fertilizer-meets-quality/)
• 2025-07-24 NCPB on spot as Audit uncovers fake firms, unsafe inputs and billions lost in fertilizer subsidy - Sacco Review | The Leading Newspaper for Co-operative Movement in Kenya
  KEL Chemicals (KEL Chemicals for NPK fertiliser) was paid Ksh 139.7 million for “planting fertiliser,” but KEBS declared the product unfit, and about Ksh 98.5 million worth had already reached farmers.
• 2025-07-24 Auditor General Uncovers Massive Fraud in Kenya’s Sh31.5B Fertilizer Program - ynews.digital
  KEL Chemicals was contracted for fertiliser amounting to Sh139.7 million, but Kebs later deemed the fertiliser unfit for use.
• 2026-09-28 Tested fertilizer meets quality requirements, farmers assured - Breaking Kenya News
  KEL Chemicals Ltd is accused of distributing substandard fertilizer under Kenya’s subsidy program; KEBS found some of its fertilizers failed quality tests, leading to seizures of its stocks and KEBS pursuing legal action against the company.
• 2025-05-21 Revealed: Aldai MP Marianne Kitany Poisoned 30 Schools With Contaminated Sugar Donation · Kenya Insights
  KEL Chemicals Ltd. was shut down by the government after findings that it distributed substandard fertilizer.
• 2025-04-24 Republic V Director Of Occupational Safety And Health Services; Muhuru (Interested Party); Kel Chemicals Limited (Ex Parte Applicant) [2025] Keelrc 1274 (Klr)
  KEL Chemicals Limited is the ex parte applicant in a Judicial Review case challenging the Director of Occupational Safety and Health Services’ decision; the court dismissed the ex parte application with costs, upholding the Director’s reassessment and …
• 2026-03-13 Muganda V Kel Chemicals Limited [2026] Keca 533 (Klr)
  The case indicates that Kel Chemicals Limited was the respondent in the ELRCA matter against Roy Noah Muganda, with Muganda seeking an extension of time to file a notice of appeal after a judgment delivered without notice to the parties; the court granted the …

Ownership & investors 5

Partners & deals 4

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