By Robert Mutasi 
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe is considering a proposal by cereal millers to allow the duty-free importation of three million metric tonnes of white maize as Kenya faces a significant decline in local production.
The proposal comes amid concerns over maize supplies and the possible impact of reduced production on the price of maize flour, commonly known as unga.
The Cereal Millers Association (CMA) has asked the government to gazette three million metric tonnes of white maize for duty-free importation. The association says the move would reduce the cost of imported grain and help millers secure adequate supplies for the domestic market.
CMA Chief Executive Officer Paloma Fernandes said Kenya was facing one of its sharpest maize production declines in recent years.
Fernandes told a grain-sector meeting convened by Kagwe that only six major maize-producing counties were expected to record production of more than one million bags during the current season.
“This is the steepest decline in production and it is huge for us,” Fernandes said.
The association is seeking a nine-month duty-free importation window, arguing that millers need sufficient time to negotiate supply agreements, secure financing and arrange shipping.
Fernandes said a longer importation period would also allow millers to explore different sources of non-GMO white maize both within the region and from international markets.
Zambia and Tanzania have been identified as potential sources as Kenya prepares to address the anticipated supply gap.
Kenya’s High Commissioner to Zambia, Lilian Tomitom, said Zambia has maize available and indicated that Kenyan traders based in Zambia and Malawi could assist in supplying the Kenyan market.
“There is enough maize,” Tomitom said.
Kagwe called for discussions with the Zambian government to find ways of reducing the price of maize at the source.
He said transportation costs remained one of the major obstacles to making Zambian maize affordable once it reaches Kenya.
The CMA has also warned against depending heavily on Tanzania because the country can introduce export restrictions when its domestic stocks come under pressure.
Fernandes said such restrictions could disrupt maize supplies from Tanzania and affect grain transported from Zambia through Tanzanian routes.
She urged the government to give importers room to explore international markets when regional supplies are insufficient.
As discussions continue over the proposed white maize imports, Kagwe said the government was also considering the gazettement of 360,000 metric tonnes of yellow maize for the animal-feed industry.
The measure is intended to reduce the demand for white maize among feed manufacturers.
At present, animal-feed producers and millers compete for available maize supplies. Directing yellow maize towards the feed industry would reduce that competition and leave more white maize for human consumption.
Kagwe said the government needed to plan ahead to avoid a shortage of maize.
“We cannot afford not to have maize,” the CS said.
The proposed intervention could help protect supplies for maize millers while also supporting the livestock and poultry sectors that rely heavily on animal feed.
Kagwe also warned importers against bringing maize into Kenya without meeting the country’s food safety requirements.
He said all imported maize must comply with sanitary and phytosanitary standards, particularly requirements covering moisture levels and aflatoxin contamination.
“Do not bring maize that is not going to pass the tests. There should be no maize in our stores that has been condemned,” he said.
The CS called for faster testing of maize at points of entry, saying laboratory procedures should be improved so that grain quality can be established within about 10 minutes.
He said current testing processes can take several hours and, in some cases, days, causing unnecessary delays for traders.
Kagwe also called for the introduction of one-stop border procedures to speed up the clearance of maize consignments.
He said trucks can spend between three and five days waiting for clearance, increasing transport, storage and financing costs. Such costs eventually affect the final price paid by consumers.
“Government must operate at the same pace as the private sector for efficiency,” Kagwe said.
The government is also working to strengthen the country’s grain reserves as it prepares for possible supply challenges.
The National Cereals and Produce Board has indicated that it has storage capacity equivalent to approximately two million 90-kilogramme bags.
The government will now have to balance the need for additional maize supplies with the interests of local farmers, millers, livestock producers and consumers.
A decision on the proposed three-million-tonne duty-free importation is expected to have a direct bearing on maize availability and flour prices in the coming months.
At the same time, the proposed yellow maize allocation could ease competition between food and feed manufacturers.
Kagwe’s ministry is therefore under pressure to secure adequate supplies early, maintain food safety standards and reduce logistical costs that could push up the price of maize products.
The government is expected to continue consultations with millers, traders, farmers and other players in the grain sector before making a final decision on the proposed duty-free imports.
Eldoret Leo