Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe has issued a 30-day ultimatum to traders and farmers hoarding maize to release their stocks, warning that the government will allow duty-free maize imports if local supplies do not improve and maize flour prices remain high.
Speaking on Monday, January 26, 2026, during a visit to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) in Sagana, Kagwe said the government prefers buying maize from Kenyan farmers to restock the Strategic Grain Reserve but will not hesitate to import if the market continues to experience artificial shortages.
“We are buying maize at Ksh 4,000 per bag, and we have Sh1.7 billion ready for payment. If anyone tells you to wait, call me,” Kagwe said. “Our first option is not imports. It is buying from our farmers so that we can secure the country’s food reserves.”
The Ministry of Agriculture is targeting the immediate purchase of 1.7 million bags of maize, with plans to build reserves of up to four million bags.
However, deliveries remain low, with only about 186,000 bags received so far. Kagwe attributed the slow uptake to hoarding and speculative practices, even as parts of the country begin to experience dry conditions.
To address post-harvest losses and quality concerns, Kagwe said the ministry is restructuring the use of more than 60 mobile and fixed maize dryers. Dryers in low-production areas will be redeployed to cooperatives, large-scale farmers, and high-yield zones to ensure better utilisation.
“Aflatoxin is a public health issue. Some dryers were taken to areas with very little maize, which amounts to misuse of public resources,” he said.
Farmers will be allowed to dry maize at NCPB facilities at minimal maintenance costs, while millers will be permitted to lease dryers to reduce rejection of locally produced maize and curb reliance on imports from neighbouring countries.
Kagwe said the fertiliser subsidy programme has already delivered positive results, noting that maize production doubled after the government distributed 9.1 million bags of fertiliser during the 2025 planting season, supported by good rains in key growing regions.
Access to subsidised fertiliser
To improve access to subsidised fertiliser, county governments will register agro-dealers so farmers can collect inputs closer to their farms.
The Ministry is also working with the National Treasury, the World Bank, and commercial banks to introduce an instant payment system that will ensure agro-dealers are paid immediately once fertiliser vouchers are redeemed.
“This will lower transport costs, fix distribution delays, and ensure fertiliser is available at the village level,” Kagwe said, urging farmers to collect inputs early as stocks have already been distributed to depots countrywide.
On rice, Kagwe dismissed claims of a national shortage, saying current challenges are logistical and limited to collection in areas such as Mwea. He noted that Kenya produces about 20 per cent of its rice needs and imports the rest, calling for greater investment in local production.
He said Kenya produces only about 10 per cent of its wheat requirements but confirmed that government policy requires locally grown wheat to be purchased before imports are allowed, a rule that will also apply to rice.
Kagwe said the ministry, in partnership with county governments, is conducting a nationwide soil-mapping exercise to guide farmers on the correct use of crop- and soil-specific fertilisers to improve yields and incomes.
He also directed the NCPB to address system failures that are slowing grain intake, warning that inefficiencies and delays will not be tolerated.
Reaffirming the government’s commitment to food security, Kagwe said Kenya must strengthen discipline in the production, storage, drying, and marketing of food crops. “Food security is not optional. It is a national duty,” he said.
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