Maize flour millers have warned that the price of maize floor will not be reducing any time soon. They have said that the price is bound hit the Sh.200 mark by March of 2018.
The chairman of the United Grain Millers Association, Peter Kuguru, has said that the maize being received has decreased and can only last the country until next month.
He said that the reserve has two million bags against the monthly consumption of three million shillings. He said that the millers will have to purchase the maize from neighboring countries.
“We have two million bags of maize currently at the Strategic Grain Reserve against a monthly demand of three million.This will not be enough. This means millers will have to rely on imports from the neighboring countries like Uganda and Tanzania,” Peter Kuguru said.
He said that the farmers have opted to sell their maize to brokers who purchase that maize in cash rather than the cereals.
The ministry of agriculture has however said that they will be doing an assessment of the stock of food then they would be able to advise on actions to be taken in case there is a shortage.
“The NCPB is still buying maize from farmers and once the assessment had been done, the government will advise on what action should be taken in case of a maize shortage,” Dr Johnston Irungu the director of crops management from the Ministry of Agriculture said
