Ruto Bans Importation Of Maize And Wheat

President William Ruto has announced that no permits will be issued to millers to import wheat or maize into the country.

According to a statement from the State House, the Head of State said that the move is aimed at protecting local farmers who are expected to register a bumper harvest following the rains witnessed this year.

He however noted that the Government will only deviate from the directive if the local produce is insufficient. President Ruto did not reveal when the ban on maize and wheat importation would take place.

The President pointed out that the Government will allocate Ksh4 billion to buy maize from farmers, a move he noted was aimed at stabilising prices.

President William Ruto speaking to Narok North delegation at State House on October 5, 2023. /PCS

He was speaking on Thursday, October 5 at State House, Nairobi when he met a delegation from Narok North Constituency led by its Member of Parliament (MP) Agnes Pareiyo.

Also in the meeting were Governors Patrick Ole Ntutu (Narok) and Jonathan Leleliit (Samburu), Narok West MP Gabriel Tongoyo, MCAs and grassroots leaders.

“We ask our farmers not to sell their produce at throw-away prices," he pleaded on the matter of individuals who were out in the market to take advantage of them.

To reduce post-harvest losses over high moisture, the Head of State announced that National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) driers will be used to dry farmers' maize at a minimal fee of Ksh50, from a high of nearly Ksh400 a bag.

The driers will be helpful given that parts of the country, including Nairobi, have started experiencing rainfalls.

“Even if farmers don’t want to sell their maize to NCPB, they will have an opportunity to dry their produce at the State agency and store it,” he explained.

The President further announced that a KCC milk plant will be constructed in Narok to improve milk quality and thus boost prices.

The ban on the importation of maize and wheat comes two days after the former was listed by the Central Bank of Kenya (CBK) as basic food items whose prices dropped in September 2023.

Prices of key non-vegetable food items particularly maize and wheat flour were however revealed to have declined following improved supply attributed to the ongoing harvests and government measures to zero-rate key food imports.

It is the price of maize that the government is banking on in terms of reducing the cost of unga, which has been one of President Ruto's greatest headaches in the delivery of his pre-election campaign promises.