Kenya : Looming maize deficit as NCPB falls short of purchase target
The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) has bought only 20,000 of the targeted 1 million maize bags due to stringent conditions, causing farmers to sell to millers offering better prices. This shortage, worsened by low yields from poor weather and fake fertiliser, may prompt the government to relax maize import restrictions to stabilize prices and meet reserve targets.
National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) has only purchased 20,000 of 50-kilogramme bags of maize, out of the targeted 1 million, signalling an impending deficit of the commodity despite commitment by the government to double food production and reduce dependence on imports.
The development might force the government to relax importation of the staple to sustain low flour prices and realise the National Strategic Food Reserve stocks.
A spot-check by People Daily established that the stringent conditions set by NCPB have forced many farmers in the North Rift region to sell the produce to millers and other traders who are offering better prices at farm gate level.
NCPB is offering Sh3,500 per 90-kilogramme bag and farmers are required to dry the crop to 13.5 moisture content and minimal broken level and colouring matter.
Millers and other traders on the other hand are buying the maize at between Sh3,400 and Sh3,600 per bag.
“We are still experiencing low delivery of maize to our buying centres,” said Titus Maiyo, NCPB Corporate affairs manager.
The board is purchasing Grade 1 and 2 maize, meant for human consumption and this must therefore strictly meet all the required quality standards.
A two-kilogramme packet of maize flour goes at an average of Sh120 in most outlets in Eldoret city but the prices are likely to increase due to the anticipated maize shortage in the market.
Farmers and traders who spoke to People Daily said there is low supply of maize in the market due to low yield last season.
It also emerged that some of the farmers also sold the produce during harvest period.
Fake fertiliser
The government had projected a harvest of 61 million bags of 50-kilogramme maize last season but farmers realised low yield due to erratic climatic conditions and poor quality farm inputs.
“Some farmers sold out the grains during harvest period due to pressing financial demands. Most of the grains were used to manufacture animal feeds and the NCPB might not achieve its target of buying 1 million bags of the crop,” said Jackson Kipruto, a farmer from Ziwa in Uasin Gishu county.
Most farmers blame fake fertiliser, which penetrated the government supply chain of the subsidised fertiliser for the declined maize yield. The government subsidised fertiliser was going at Sh2,500.
Statistics from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) indicate that Kenya has imported an average of 295,092 tonnes of maize annually over the past five years.
The country’s annual maize requirement stands at 52 million bags for human consumption, manufacture of livestock feeds, seed multiplication and the manufacture of other products.
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Source : People Daily
