The Kenya Strategic Food Reserve Oversight Board has issued an advisory for importation of two million bags of white maize before May to curb a possible flour crisis amid projections that stocks will run out by April.
SFR chairman Noah Wekesa said the food agency had written to the Ministry of Agriculture, which is expected to come up with a cabinet memo on the importation.
The move, which could open another round of war between the government and farmers over grains, will see the board import two million bags of white maize and an additional two million of yellow ones to be used for processing of animal feeds.
“We do not have any reserves at the moment and we would like the government to move with speed to allow imports and curb a possible crisis, that is why we have written to our parent ministry requesting it to allow imports,” said Dr Wekesa.
Maize coming outside the East African Customs Union is subjected to a 50 percent duty. The Treasury normally scraps the tax in the event of imports to allow in the produce at a cheaper cost.
