Moses Kuria, Cabinet Secretary for Trade, Investment, and Industry, announced government plans to allow duty-free imports of both GMO and non-GMO maize for the next six months.
Kuria stated in a tweet on Thursday that the move is intended to help the country’s ongoing drought situation.
“In view of the food situation in the country, I shall be signing instruments to allow duty free imports of GMO and non-GMO Maize for the next six months,” Moses Kuria tweeted.
With this change, importers will no longer be required to pay import, sales, value-added, or other taxes when buying maize.
During his second cabinet meeting in October, President William Ruto overturned a 10-year ban on the importation or cultivation of genetically modified crops (GMOs) in the country, ushering in a new era for the country’s precarious agricultural industry.
“Cabinet vacated its earlier decision of 8th November 2012 prohibiting the open cultivation of genetically modified crops and the importation of food crops and animal feeds produced through biotechnology innovations; effectively lifting the ban on Genetically Modified Crops. By dint of the executive action open cultivation and importation of White (GMO) Maize is now authorized,” said the statement.
The government stated that this would be a quick solution to the country’s ravaging drought, which has affected at least 23 counties.
