Govt backs maize imports from Uganda

The Ministry of Agriculture has challenged maize farmers to be more competitive to reduce the level of importation of the grain from the region.

This comes after mounting calls by farmers in the north rift to stop maize imports from Uganda.

Speaking during the University of Eldoret agri-business trade fair, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett said the government cannot stop maize imports from Uganda as the East African Community trade protocol allows free trade within the region.

“We are the East African Community. We have signed the protocol so business within the region moves seamlessly so long as those goods are meeting the required standards. So we cannot say we are blocking any trading,” Mr Bett stressed.

The EAC common market protocol was signed in 2010, creating an open market in the region.

The common market allows for free movement of locally produced goods between the partner states.

Maize farmers have been concerned that part of the imported maize has been sold to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) locking out local farmers.

Maize

Uganda has been a major supplier of maize to other EAC countries in 2016 as production in other countries including Kenya is affected by the head smut disease.

Inadequate rain during the year is also expected to see the government rely heavily on imports to meet the annual demand of an estimated 40 million bags of maize.

The CS however painted a picture of an un-competitive industry with high production costs that allowed traders to ship in cheaper maize from Uganda.

This has seen the ministry set up a team to conduct a market survey on an annual basis to correctly price maize in the market.

“We are basing our pricing now on a market survey, because we survey on the cost of production and everything else to set a price, a price which will give the farmer a mark up, but not a price that we compensate for certain inefficiencies,” he said.

Mr Bett challenged farmers to be more efficient to ensure high production at an affordable rate to compete with grain from the region.

“If our crop from Kenya is more competitive than the Ugandan one there is no way the Ugandan one can come to Kenya,” the CS said.

The ministry has also asked farmers to sell their produce directly to the NCPB to tame rouge traders that have been profiting from buying maize at low prices from them.

Tags:

kenya EAC uganda maize NCPB East African Community ministry of agriculture Willy Bett Common Market Protocol head smut disease importation

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