CAPE TOWN, March 12 (ANA) - The Kenya Strategic Food Reserve Oversight Board announced that the country would be importing two million bags of white maize before May.
According to the Kenyan News Agency, the board issued an advisory warning of a possible flour crisis amid projections that stocks would run out by April.
In the advisory, board chairperson Dr Noah Wekesa confirmed that a recommendation to import maize had been sent to the ministry of agriculture. He said that the board was expecting cabinet to address the issue.
Media agency CGTN Africa said importing maize would possibly upset local farmers. Not only would two million bags of white maize be imported but an additional two million bags of yellow maize would also be shipped in for processing 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,” Wekesa said in the advisory.
Food Business Africa magazine said maize coming from outside the East African Customs Union was subjected to a 50% duty. Treasury scraps the tax in the event of imports to allow in the produce at a cheaper cost.
This is the second time that the board has recommended importing maize into the country.
According to the magazine, in March last year the board wanted to import 2.5 million bags. At the time it was projected that Kenya would run out of maize by July.
- African News Agency (ANA); Editing by Naomi Mackay
