Kenya has imported 5.08 million bags of maize from various countries under the subsidy programme launched by government in May. Flour supplies to most parts of the country, including the Nairobi Central Business District (CBD), is now adequate and has stabilized after months of scarcity.
Giving a summary of the food security situation and maize prices as at Monday, Crops Director at the Ministry of Agriculture, Livestock and Fisheries Dr Johnson Irungu said the national food security situation has improved as flow of imports increased from mid-June.
Harvesting of the long rain crops is currently ongoing in Central, Eastern and Coastal regions, he said, adding that though production was below expectations, food supplies had improved at household level and at the markets outlets in the non-Arid and Semi-Arid Lands (ASAL) areas.
Dr Irungu noted that prices of major staples, including maize, beans, Irish potatoes and fresh vegetable though relatively high are on a downward trend. With additional import of 2.76 million bags in the month of July, the current estimated maize stocks as at 31st July is 5.6 million bags with farmers holding about 2.95 million bags, he said.
“Traders and millers are holding 1.4 million bags, and the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) 1. 261, 306 bags. Beans stocks are 3.5 million bags, wheat 950,000 bags and rice 607,000 bags,” he said
Dr Irungu confirmed that the ongoing crop harvests should stabilize the food situation with peak harvest expected in mid-October. Currently, maize prices were stabilising at a price ranging from Ksh 2,600 to Ksh 4,800 per 90-kilogramme bag with national average of Ksh 3,800, he added.
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He also said fresh Irish potatoes were available in local markets and the price has gone down from an average of Ksh 2, 990 in June to about Ksh 2, 600 per 110-kilogramme bag currently, and should decline further with improved supplies.
Maize prices are high in Kisumu at Ksh 4, 800 and lowest in Kitui where a bag is retailing at Ksh2, 600.
According to food report situation of April 2017, a 90-kilogramme of wheat averaged Ksh 4, 554 and further increased to Ksh 4,912 in May before stabilizing at Ksh 3, 800 in July.
During the April 2017 period, Busia topped as the region with the highest price at Ksh 5, 625 and Eldoret at Ksh 3, 687.
The prices of milled maize flour increased from Ksh 109 in December 2016 to stabilise at an average price of Ksh 125 to Ksh 128 between January and April. To tame the situation, the Government introduced a Ksh 6 billion subsidy programme ending August but has again been extended to September.
Dr Irungu said that to ensure Kenyans had continued to enjoy the Ksh 90 subsidised maize flour, the Government has extended duty waiver of white maize to end of September and yellow maize to end of June 2018.
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