Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Felix Koskei said in a food security report that Kenya will initiate talks with governments in East Africa Community (EAC) and COMESA countries such as Tanzania, Malawi or Zambia to allow the private sector to import 3 million bags cheaply before August.
“The ministry will initiate government to government discussions within EAC and COMESA countries where Non-GMO maize is available for the private sector to import up to 2 million bags cheaply before August when the harvest from the south rift region is expected,” Koskei said.
He said the National Treasury will allow importation of one million Non-GMO maize duty free by registered millers by end of July for human consumption.
According to Koskei, the national Treasury will also allow importation of 3 million bags of yellow maize duty free for animal feed manufacturing and reduce demand on white maize for human consumption.
East African nation is facing shortage of the staple following poor harvest in the last planting seasons.
The country, according to the ministry of agriculture, has a shortage of about 10 million bags of maize. The shortfall is expected to be filled by imports.
The poor harvest was attributed to erratic rainfall during the long and short rains season, inadequate access to fertilizer and maize lethal necrotic disease, which affected crops on 18,000 hectares in Rift Valley and Nyanza regions.
Every year, Uganda and Tanzania supplement maize stocks in Kenya through cross-border business.
Traders import maize from Tanzania particularly through Namanga and Isebania borders while from Uganda the staple comes through Busia and Malaba entry points.
East African nation’s traders and millers who import maize outside EAC normally bring it from Malawi, Zambia and sometimes South Africa.
The imports will augment maize harvests from various parts of Kenya for both long and short rains seasons to push up stocks to over 19 million bags by end of May.
Koskei said the government will release 500,000 bags from the Strategic Grain Reserve (STR) old stocks into the market and replenish the same through imports from EAC and COMESA region.
The Strategic Grain Reserve is currently holding 3.1 million bags of maize against the required threshold of 4 million bags, he said. This maize is stored in the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) across the country.
He said the ministry will also be encouraging millers and other agencies to blend maize flour with other cheaper staples such as cassava, sorghum and millet to reduce the cost of flour.
Maize balance sheet projected to July 31 shows that from the current levels of stocks, the country is likely to experience a deficit of 720,000 bags.
The shortfall should be met through cross border trade within the East Africa, which is expected to pick up from the month of May.
In addition, early harvesting of maize is expected by end of June in parts of South Rift and lower Eastern regions; harvesting of beans, potatoes and other early maturing crops is also expected by mid June to further improve local food supplies.
“Out of the long rains target production of 47,611,805 bags (90 kgs) based on cultivated area, the forecast production of current crop is about 37,438,800 bags,” Koskei said, representing about 77 percent compared to the targets.“The relatively lower production forecast is based on the current crop condition in the field; in many Counties, the crop suffered moisture stress and poor germination due to low rains experienced in April 2014. The figures are expected to change as weather and other field operation factors change in the course of the season.”
Koskei said the national food security situation in the month of April remained stable with respect to availability of basic staples such as maize, rice, bananas and fresh vegetables.
“On the other hand, local supply of wheat, beans and tomatoes declined leading to marginal increase of prices of these commodities,” he said.
The supply gaps were however met through imports by private traders from neighboring states, especially Tanzania and Uganda.
Kenya’s monthly maize consumption has risen in the past two years from 3.6 million bags due to increase in population.
The agriculture ministry is working with county governments to reduce post-harvest losses currently estimated at 10 percent to 40 percent. The county governments have been asked to construct community storage structures complete with driers.
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