Tough Times ahead as Maize Flour Price Rises Sharply

Maize flour prices have risen sharply by up to 28 percent as millers reported poor supply by farmers, raising fears of a negative impact on the overall cost of living.

A spot check at several supermarkets in Nairobi showed found the price of a two-kilo packet of maize had by Monday increased to a high of Sh109 from an average Sh85 since February.

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At Tuskys Supermarket for example, a two-kilo pack of Soko brand was retailing at Sh109, while Kifaru and Jogoo went for Sh104 and Sh101 respectively.

The government last month announced that there were 46 million bags of maize in the country held by agencies such as humanitarian and relief bodies, the NCPB, millers and farmers. 

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This is curious, coming just months after the country reported a bumper harvest of 40 million bags of maize in 2018, the highest production in the last three years. It also comes against the government disclosure last month that there were 46 million bags of maize in the country held by millers, farmers as well as relief and humanitarian agencies.

Cartels have taken advantage of the feuds between the government and farmers to press for the importation of maize under the guise of bridging shortages in the market.

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This should not be allowed to happen. The government should enter negotiations with farmers and mop-up all the locally available maize to stabilize prices. Or the market for grain should be left to the free market so that farmers can negotiate directly with millers.

That maize flour prices have risen by up to 28 percent

The NCPB has capped the purchase of maize at 400 bags per farmer as the government moves to tame traders and large-scale farmers who have been accused of abusing the window at the expense of small-scale growers.

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