The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) stated on Tuesday, April 18, that it would continue buying maize from farmers at the same price despite the arrival of imported maize.
Speaking before the parliamentary committee, NCPB Managing Director Joseph Kimote revealed that it would still buy maize from farmers at Ksh5,600 per a 90-kilogram bag.
Further, he stated that the board still required an additional Ksh15 billion to operationalise the food reserve.
“We will continue to buy maize from the farmers at the price we have been buying from them at Ksh5,600 per bag. We will not change the prices until the next season,” he stated.
Although the food reserve is meant to reduce the price of the product to consumers, it will mean that farmers will incur losses as the board will buy maize from them at a lower price.
According to Kimote, that will take effect in the next season's harvest when the prices will be reviewed.
“We will need an additional Ksh15 billion to operationalise the food reserve and revise the purchasing prices.
“When that money is availed we will be able to achieve what we need to achieve going forward,” he stated.
Kinoti added that the board planned to offer warehousing and grading services to private millers and importers
“What has come within the borders of this country within the regulations and we are ready to store it as long as it has gone through the various quality parameters,” added the director.
The committee raised concerns to the board that farmers did not want to sell their maize to them and asked the director to issue clarifications on the claim.
Kinoti refuted the claims adding that they offered competitive market prices and paid on time.
“Our prices are very competitive to the farmers and we pay on the spot.The farmers who have the maize can bring them to our facilities,” he explained.
Earlier on April 16, an MV Guardian ship carrying 48,000 tons of white maize docked at the Port of Mombasa.
The imported maize is part of the government's plan to reduce the cost of maize in the market and subsequently reduce the cost of maize flour.
Addressing the high cost of living, President William Ruto announced on April 14, that the prices of maize and maize flour would start reducing after the import.
“We have imported maize and starting next week the cost of maize of flour will start coming down,” he stated.
