NAIROBI, Kenya, March 17 – The National Treasury has allowed the importation of 500,000 metric tons of maize on duty-free status until August 6.
In a gazette notice dated March 17, the exchequer noted that the imported white maize grain shall have a moisture content not exceeding 13.5 per cent , aflatoxin levels shall not exceed ten parts per billion accompanied by a certificate of conformity issued by the Kenya Bureau of Standards.
“….that Import Duty Waiver has been granted for registered millers and traders to import a total of 500,000 metric tons of white maize grain from March 17 2023 to 6th August 6 2023,” stated the gazette notice.
The move by the government to allow duty-free imports of maize is in line with a government directive to alleviate the current food shortage/costs crisis which has been primarily driven by the biting drought across the year.
The Ministry of Agriculture had halted the importation to allow millers to mop out local maize from farmers during the harvest season.
Farmers raised fears that immediate imports of the grains would water down prices of their produce at the marketplace.
At least 250 traders have applied for import licenses to bring in maize under the duty-free window as they seek to cash in on the waiver issued by the government.
The government opened a window for the importation to ease the runaway cost of flour that has remained high for the last couple of months with a two-kilo packet hitting Sh200.
It’s also a relief for feed millers as the government allowed animal feed manufacturers to import 500,000 tonnes of yellow maize duty-free before August 6 ,2023.
Millers had petitioned the government to introduce an array of measures, including allowing yellow maize to be processed for consumption by animals, to tackle the biting grain shortage and cushion consumers against rising prices of flour and other food items.
