Ugali enthusiasts can look forward to more affordable meals as maize prices plummet, thanks to this season’s bumper harvest and the influx of cheaper maize from East African Community (EAC) member states.
Consumers are the main beneficiaries of this significant price drop, with costs falling from Sh4,600 to Sh2,200 per 90-kilogram bag in parts of the North Rift region. This drop is partly due to farmers releasing last season’s hoarded maize to avoid potential losses.
The price of maize flour has also decreased, from Sh180 to Sh120 for a two-kilogram packet, with expectations of further reductions as cheaper maize continues to flood the market.
Farmers in the North Rift, who had been holding onto their maize stocks in hopes of higher prices, are now rushing to sell their produce to minimize losses. “We hoped for better prices to make a profit, but market forces have driven prices down to nearly below Sh2,000, leading to significant losses,” said David Kosgei from Ziwa, Uasin Gishu County.
Millers, in interviews with the Nation, attributed the falling prices to the entry of maize from Tanzania and Uganda, which has lowered local costs. Tanzania remains a major exporter of maize and rice to Kenya and other East African countries, including eastern Congo, Burundi, and South Sudan.
“The maize prices are expected to drop further due to the harvest of short-term crops like potatoes and beans, which offer alternatives to maize,” said Joshua Kosgei, a miller based in Eldoret.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Dr. Andrew Karanja recently announced that Kenya expects to harvest 70 million bags of maize this season, up from 46 million bags last season. This increase is expected to further drive down maize prices, providing relief to consumers.
“We anticipate a harvest of 70 million bags compared to last season’s 40 to 60 million bags, signaling significant progress towards food security,” Dr. Karanja stated during a visit to Kitale, Trans-Nzoia County. He credited the high yield to the distribution of government-subsidized fertilizer and favorable weather conditions.
Kenya’s annual maize requirement stands at 52 million bags, covering human consumption, livestock feed production, seed multiplication, and other uses. Dr. Karanja also highlighted government plans to support the Agricultural Development Corporation (ADC) and Kenya Seed Company (KSC) in enhancing seed multiplication to meet growing market demand.
In Kisumu and Nakuru, maize prices have dropped from Sh5,200 to Sh3,400 and Sh3,200 respectively, due to increased supply and the availability of alternative food crops. “Maize prices are expected to fall further with the ongoing harvest in Western Kenya, the arrival of cheap produce from EAC member states, and the availability of alternative food sources,” said Joshua Too from Moiben, Uasin Gishu County.
The Kenya Kwanza administration has committed to reducing maize imports by 2025, with President William Ruto pledging to prioritize agriculture to boost domestic production and reduce the country’s annual Sh500 billion food import bill.
Maize imports from Uganda surged from 2,629 tonnes to 34,590 tonnes in the 2022/2023 marketing year, while imports from Zambia rose from 10,728 to 88,050 tonnes. Imports from South Africa also increased from 2,782 to 64,512 tonnes, though imports from Tanzania fell from 708,978 to 412,755 tonnes due to export restrictions.
Millers are urging the government to harmonize cess and levy standards across counties to ensure a steady flow of maize and sustain operations. According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Kenya has imported an average of 295,092 tonnes of maize annually over the past five years.