Maize Prices Escalate As Shortages Hit Hard

Nairobi Star (Nairobi)

Mathews Ndanyi

13 June 2011

The price of maize has gone up to more than Sh5,600 per bag as shortage begins to bite in some parts of Western and Rift Valley.

High maize prices have been reported in Mt Elgon, Nandi Hills, Bongoma, Lugari and parts Trans Nzoia. The rising prices have been attributed to scarcity of maize. A kilo of maize is now selling at Sh70 in Nandi Hills up from Sh45 three weeks ago.

The Kenya Plantation Workers Union has said more than 3,000 of its members working in tea estates in Nandi are starving because they cannot afford maize and other items. Oyuga wants the government to facilitate quick importation of maize to save Kenyans from starvation.

“Our people are starving because of the maize shortage and the government should move fast to deal with the impending food crisis,” said Oyuga while addressing tea workers in Nandi Hills.

This comes just days after the chairman of the Parliamentary Committee on Agriculture John Mututho claimed farmers in Rift Valley are hoarding more than 5 million bags of maize which they want to sell at high prices.

However, the National Cereals and Produce said farmers in the region do not have excess maize in their stores. “The may have some maize but its mainly for home use,” said NCPB managing director Gideon Misoi. “The best solution we have is to allow imports of maize into the country to help deal with the shortages.” NCPB is holding about 3.2 million bags in the Grain Strategic Reserves. But the maize cannot be released because it is meant for famine victims especially in arid districts. The board has been facing financial challenges making it unable to store adequate food reserves.

The cereals board is supposed to store more than 8 million bags of strategic food reserves, especially maize apart from other grains like rice and beans. The food shortages have worsened in arid districts where more than 3 million people are starving.

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