It seems the reduced price of Unga was short lived as millers have announced plans to increase the price from sh 75 to sh 100 per 2kg packet.
The sh 100 has been the average price that Kenyans have been paying for maize flour for almost the whole of this year.
Millers have put the blame on farmers who they accuse of hoarding maize leading to shortage of the produce and therefore increase in demand.
According to United Trade Millers Association vice chair Ken Nyaga, farmers are refusing to sell their maize since the government promised to buy the produce at a higher price of Ksh.3,000 per 90 kgs bag.
“It is the high time the government came up with proper ways to streamline the maize industry. We are between a rock and a hard place. There is no maize available from the farmers we cannot sustain the current market of Ksh.75 per 2kg packet,” said Mr. Nyaga told the media on Monday.
He added: “The farmers are refusing to sell their maize because the government promised to buy the maize at Ksh. 3,000 per 90kgs bag. So they do not want to sell a 90kg bag at Ksh. 2,300.”
The Unga prices debate has been a hot potato for Kenyans since Ugali is a staple food for a majority of households.
In the runner-up to last year’s general elections, the government entered a deal with millers which saw the price of unga reduce from sh 160 per to Kg to sh 90.
“To cushion the consumers, the government has now entered into a subsidy programme in partnership with importers and millers who will now access maize at Sh2,300 per 90kg bag,” said then Agriculture Minister Willy Bett.
“This will enable millers to sell the two-kilo packet at Sh90 and Sh47 for the 1kg packet,” he added.
The deal came after an uproar from Kenyans over the escalating cost of living. Being an election year, the Jubilee government was forced to act as it feared a backlash from voters.
The price rose to sh 100 after the elections and has been around the same price until one month ago when it surprisingly reduced to sh 75.
The last time maize flour retailed at such a low price was in 2010 when it retailed at sh 70 and in 2011 when it sold for between Sh86 and Sh89.
It now seems the new prices were short lived and Kenyans will go back to paying the usual prices.