On Sunday, April 9, President William Ruto, while attending a church service in Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, announced that cheap imported food would flood the market within seven days.
While this was a welcome relief to Kenyans grappling with a high cost of living, it sent panic among local farmers.
A few hours after Ruto’s declaration, Trade Cabinet Secretary (CS) Moses Kuria moved to assure farmers that their fortunes will not be hurt.
Speaking at Kagio in Kirinyaga County, the Trade CS revealed that local rice farmers would not be forced to sell their produce at a loss due to competition with cheap imports.
“I have spoken to the leader of the rice farmers in Mwea and I told him that we have the Kenya National Trading Corporation under my Ministry.
“I have pledged that we are ready to buy all rice that you have, so do not listen to anyone telling you otherwise,” he assured farmers.
He beseeched cooperatives not to hoard rice promising the government would buy it to the last grain.
Mwea is the largest producer of rice in the country and there were fears the imports would harm the region economically.
Earlier, Agriculture CS Mithika Linturi had revealed that the government was in the process of importing 1.1 million metric tonnes of rice.
“We expect accredited traders will bring in duty-free 1.4 million metric tonnes of imported white maize, 1.1 million metric tonnes of rice and 500,000 metric tonnes of yellow maize by April 5, 2023,” the CS announced on Sunday, March 12.
Ruto, during his address, noted that the aforementioned consignment was destined for the market within seven days in what he termed a short-term solution to ease the cost of living.
“I know we have a big debate across the country about the cost of living and how we need to reduce food prices. As a government, we have imported a lot of food and beginning this week, it will get to the market,” the Head of State revealed.
Mwea farmers harvested 600,000 metric tonnes of rice in February 2023 which is yet to be distributed in the market.
The measure instituted by CS Kuria will enable the farmers to sell directly to the government at market price.
