Following a bumper harvest, the Kenyan government announced plans to purchase 1 million bags of locally produced maize at an improved price of Ksh.4,000 per 90-kilogram bag.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary (CS) Mithika Linturi told the Senate Committee on Agriculture, Livestock, and Fisheries on Thursday that the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) will be in charge of procuring maize for the National Strategic Food Reserve.
Linturi also stated that the government has already purchased mobile dryers to assist farmers in the drying process of their grains prior to government procurement.
“The mobile dryers will enable farmers to preserve the quality of their maize and increase their income. This is a significant development, as post-harvest losses have been a major challenge for farmers in the past,” said Linturi.
Linturi also assured the Committee, chaired by Kirinyaga County Senator James Murango, that his ministry is actively addressing macadamia nut production and marketing issues, with the ultimate goal of making the sub-sector more profitable.
“We are exploring international markets in a bid to ensure our farmers benefit from the macadamia sub-sector. My Ministry is committed to making the country food secure through improved food production and better earnings for all farmers,” added the CS.
Linturi’s announcement comes just days after President William Ruto banned millers from obtaining permits to import wheat or maize, in an effort to protect local farmers and stabilise prices.
The President stated at the time that the government would spend Ksh.4 billion to buy maize from farmers, adding, “We ask our farmers not to sell their produce at throw-away prices.”
The Head of State announced that NCPB driers will be used to dry farmers’ maize for a fee of Ksh.50, reducing post-harvest losses due to high moisture from the current Ksh.400 per bag.
“Even if farmers don’t want to sell their maize to NCPB, they will have an opportunity to dry their produce at the State agency and store it,” Ruto said then.
