Kenya To Import Over 5m Bags Of Yellow Maize After Unga Prices Skyrocket

• Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said maize importation will reduce competition between animal feed millers and millers for human consumption
• The cost of production has been directly impacted by the rising trend in maize prices, which has led millers to raise the price of maize flour (unga) for consumers
• Kagwe said the government will release ordinary maize from the National Strategic Food Reserve to millers who manufacture unga

Japhet Ruto is a journalist at with over eight years of experience covering finance, business, and technology. He offers an in-depth analysis of economic trends in Kenya and across the region.

The government will allow the importation of 5.5 million bags of yellow maize for a year with a 50% duty waiver for importers.

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Mutahi Kagwe, the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock noted animal feed millers with adequate capacity would handle the imports.

Why Kenya will import yellow maize

Kagwe said the aim was to switch animal feed millers to yellow maize to lessen the strain on local white maize whose costs had soared by 26%.

The CS explained that the move would cut production costs and give consumers more consistent unga pricing by enabling millers who prioritise human consumption to acquire available maize at more affordable prices.

"The Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development observes that there is increasing competition among the country's limited supplies of maize grain between millers of animal feed and those who mill maize for human consumption. Due to the increased demand, a 90-kilogramme bag of maize now costs about 26% more than it did three months ago," Kagwe said in a statement to media houses.

Why unga prices rose in Kenya

The cost of production has been directly impacted by the rising trend in maize prices, which has led millers to raise the price of maize flour (unga) for consumers.

To meet the domestic demand of more than 1 million metric tonnes needed annually by the animal feed sector, Kagwe encouraged farmers to consider growing yellow maize in the future.

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He pointed out that this will boost the economy and lessen reliance on imports.

CS Kagwe said the government will release ordinary maize from the National Strategic Food Reserve to millers who manufacture unga.

What are unga prices in Kenya?

Kenyans grappled with high unga prices in 2023, which ranged from KSh 180 to KSh 200 for a two-kilo packet.

This was made worse by high maize prices brought on by a protracted drought.

The same quantity now costs approximately KSh 150, with prices varying depending on the brands.

Is the fertiliser subsidy programme on?

In related news, the Ministry of Agriculture said 7.2 million bags of subsidised fertiliser would be distributed to farmers during the 2025 long rains season which is ongoing.

Farmers would buy the commodity at KSh 2,500 for a 50kg bag.

The government wants to make sure farmers have enough fertiliser to meet the nation's food production needs.

It stated that it needs KSh 20 billion to meet the country's requirement for 12 million bags of fertiliser.

The ministry disclosed that, of the 34 companies that applied, 13 were awarded tenders to supply fertiliser.

Proofreading by Asher Omondi, copy editor at.