The Government has issued maize hoarders with a 30-day ultimatum to release their stocks into the market, warning that failure to comply will prompt duty-free maize imports to stabilise maize flour prices.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the Government’s priority is to procure locally produced maize to replenish the Strategic Food Reserve.
A total of Ksh 1.7 billion has been allocated to purchase 1.7 million bags at Ksh 4,000 per bag.
However, only 186,000 bags have been delivered so far, a shortfall the CS attributed to hoarding and market speculation.
To address post-harvest losses and aflatoxin contamination, the Government is redeploying maize dryers to high-production areas and allowing farmers to dry their maize at National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) facilities at minimal cost.
Millers will also be permitted to lease dryers to reduce rejection of locally produced maize.
Kagwe noted that maize production more than doubled after the distribution of 9.1 million bags of subsidised fertiliser during the 2025 season.
He added that counties will now register agro-dealers to strengthen last-mile fertiliser access, while an instant payment system for agro-dealers is being finalised in collaboration with the National Treasury, the World Bank and commercial banks.
On rice and wheat, the CS reiterated that locally produced grain must be absorbed before imports are approved. He noted that Kenya currently produces about 20 per cent of its rice requirements and only 10 per cent of its wheat needs, highlighting the urgency of expanding domestic production.
The Government is also rolling out a nationwide soil-mapping programme to guide crop-specific fertiliser use and has directed the NCPB to urgently address system inefficiencies slowing grain intake.
“Food security is not optional. We must produce, store and market our food responsibly,” Kagwe said.
