The government moved to address the rising cost of maize floor Tuesday by scrapping all charges and levies imposed on maize imported to the country.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya announced that he had suspended all levies on imports for Maize as well as those put on animal feed products effective for three months effective 1st July 2022.
“This initiative is aimed at lowering the cost of maize flour and animal feed in the country for the next 90 days before the next harvest.” The CS said
Munya who was at Namanga one-stop border noted that “the move now opens the way for over 200 trucks carrying maize from Malawi, Tanzania and Zambia” which were stuck at the border of Kenya and Tanzania awaiting entry.
Munya said the government made the decision after wide consultation with key stakeholders, especially amid the acute maize shortage in the country which has resulted in increased prices of Kenya’s staple food.
Currently, a 2-kg packet of maize flour retails at Ksh.200 and Ksh220.
He says free-duty maize importation is geared towards empowering private importers to import sufficient maize in the country and cut millers’ cost of production.
At the same time, the CS warned ‘rogue farmers’ who are withholding maize thus creating a supply crisis and leaving a heavy burden on common mwananchi. He however noted that the prices will drastically come down soon and the farmers who have been hoarding the commodity should brave losses.
And the rogue farmers are not the only culprits. Munya blamed ‘greedy’ brokers and cartels for worsening the dire maize shortage situation.
Alongside maize imports, the Agriculture CS also directed that all raw materials used to make animal feed be imported duty-free.
Source: KBC