President William Ruto on Sunday announced that 2024 will be the last year the government will import maize from foreign countries.
Speaking during a church service at the ACK Diocese of Eldoret, Uasin Gishu County, the Head of State said the latest policy is geared at protecting farmers from an influx in foreign imports.
''We don’t want to import maize ever again. Next year will be the last year that we will be importing maize. From 2025, we won’t import even a single sack of maize. All the bags will be produced in Kenya,'' stated Ruto.
President Ruto posed that Kenyan farmers have the ability to produce enough food for sale and consumption in the country.
''The Ksh 500 billion we are spending on importing food is a mistake and we cannot continue doing that,'' stated Ruto.
President Ruto further stated that the government will provide farmers with access to dryers which he argued will be more convenient than the farmers drying their produce by the roadside.
''You can dry your maize and we will give you storage at the Cereal Board for Ksh 10 per bag per month as you look for a market for your produce,'' Ruto stated.
In this regard, Ruto stated that the government would avail the mobile driers at a low price to enable farmers to increase their agricultural productivity.
''We have bought 100 driers and you will distribute them across areas to help you dry your maize,'' Ruto further stated.
Speaking at the same venue, Ruto fired a warning to unscrupulous traders reselling subsidised fertiliser issued by the government.
He revealed that several people have already been arrested after being nabbed selling the products in various parts of the country.
''There were some corrupt people who tried to jeopardize the process but I arrested and jailed them,'' Ruto stated
''There was someone in Ziwa who tried to cheat and another one in Mosoriot but I arrested him and jailed him, so there is no room for cheating,'' he added.
