CS Kuria: Edible oil mafia has hiked bar soap price to frustrate bid to streamline industry
Trade, Investments and Industry Cabinet Secretary Moses Kuria now claims cartels are out to frustrate the government’s efforts to streamline the edible oil industry.
Kuria, in a tweet on Saturday, July 15, claimed that the ‘mafia’ had resolved to hike the price of bar soaps, a critical by-product in the value chain, by 45 per cent to achieve their sinister motives.
He, however, assured that his ministry had taken necessary steps including authorising importation of bar soaps to “protect consumers”.
“In their misguided efforts to frustrate government efforts to streamline the edible oils industry, the edible oils Mafia have now hiked the price of bar soaps, a critical by-product in the value chain by about 45%.
“To mitigate this mischief I have authorised the importation of bar soaps in order to protect the consumers,” CS Kuria said.
Kuria has in recent months expressed his commitment to addressing high cost of edible oil in the country.
On Friday, July 14, the CS signed an agreement with the Indonesian Coordinating Minister for Maritime Affairs and Investment, Luhut Binsar Pandjaitan for palm oil trading of 94,000 metric tons to fulfil an annual domestic demand for the product in Kenya.
In a statement, Kuria and his Agriculture counterpart Mithika Linturi said Indonesia has also expressed interest in exploring cooperation in developing oil palm plantations in Kenya.
Minister Luhut’s visit was also meant to prepare the ground for a State Visit by President Jokowi in August.
According to the CS, Kenya currently imports crude palm oil worth US $1 Billion annually through 5 companies of Bidco, Kapa Oil, Pwani Oil, Menengai and Golden Africa.
Kuria noted that large production of edible oil will help reduce prices of the commodity in the country months after a crisis that saw a litre of the product hit Ksh480.
“Last December, there was an outcry from consumers when the prices of edible Oil skyrocketed to Ksh 480 per litre forcing the government to import edible Oil through the Kenya National Trading Corporation thus reducing the retail price by more than a half to Ksh220 per litre currently,” Kuria said recently.
Source Link: https://www.pd.co.ke/news/cs-kuria-hits-out-at-edible-oil-mafia-191065/
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