The Strategic Food Reserve Trust Fund has faulted the proposed move by the government to import maize after Agriculture CS Mwangi Kiunjuri had indicated that the government are planning to import 12 million bags of maize. On Thursday, Strategic Food Reserve chairman Noah Wekesa faulted the plan, saying there is enough maize in Kenya. “We had 1.7 million 90 kg bags of maize that we put on sale and 300,000 bags of animal feed,” he said.
He said in May, millers were urged to buy the maize but so far only 1.24 million bags, from the 1.7 million, have been bought, “It’s not true to say that there is no maize in the NCPB.” Leaders from the North Rift also faulted the Agriculture CS for trying to force the maize importation yet there are maize farmers who have lots of maize in the country yet to be sold, claiming cartels may be involved in the deal.
The Strategic Food Reserve further discovered that there are farmers countrywide who are still storing maize because of the distorted prices arising from importation. CS Kiunjuri was advised to support local farmers instead of importing maize.
Written by Ian Madiavale
