Kenya in talks with Dar to unblock Zambian maize

Kenya is talking with Dar es Salaam to open its border so that maize from Zambia can pass through and ease the current shortage.

Tanzania has closed its borders restricting the movement of grain in a move aimed at ensuring there is no export of grain from the country to protect the limited stocks.

Director of Crops in the ministry of Agriculture Johnson Irungu says the talks are being spearheaded by the ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Zambia has agreed to sell to Kenya 55,000 tonnes of white maize, but with the closure of the border, the commodity has to go all the way to Rwanda then Uganda.

“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs is in talks with Tanzania to allow maize coming in from Zambia to pass through their country,” said Dr Irungu.
He noted that some grains from Uganda have started coming in from Uganda for the first time since the beginning of the year.

A document from the ministry seen by the Business Daily indicates that 111,000 bags of maize have been exported to Kenya via Tororo.

Kenya is suffering an acute shortage of grain following poor harvest last year resulting from erratic rains experienced during the planting season in 2016.

READ: KRA opens window for maize imports

The country normally imports grain from Uganda and Tanzania to bridge the deficit.

Tanzania has restricted export of maize while Uganda did not have a good harvest last season, with the little available finding its way to South Sudan where it fetches a premium.

Apart from these two countries, Kenya also imports maize from Malawi and Zambia. The two countries had also banned export of grain but Zambia has just lifted the ban.

The shortage compelled the government to allow duty free imports of the grain outside the East African Community states, under a subsidy programme. 

According to the ministry of Agriculture, 1.2 million bags of maize has so far been sold to millers under the subsidised scheme with 3.2 million bags expected before the end of next month.