Agriculture ministry has once again said the price of flour will drop in 10 days on the back of 150,000 metric tonnes of maize imports expected to arrive in Mombasa within this period.
Agriculture Cabinet secretary Mithika Linturi said the expected consignment would lower the price of a two-kilo packet to Sh140.
This is the third time that the government is promising cheap flour in a month with only one miller having cut the cost of the staple significantly to Sh159.
“We have 150,000 tonnes of maize that will be landing in Mombasa in the next 10 days, which will lower the cost of flour to Sh140 for a two-kilo packet,” said Mr Linturi.
He denied claims that the imported maize is genetically modified (GMO), saying the State did not authorise shipping in of the biotech produce.
There had been claims by the Opposition and a section of millers that flour that is selling at a lower price is GMO maize.
“Kenya Bureau of Standards has the ability to detect GMOs and they are conducting tests on all imports.
“The specifications that we issued for imports were clear that we needed white non-GMO maize, so there is no way someone could have brought in this type,” he said.
Mr Linturi said he had revoked the licences of unnamed millers after they failed to ship in the commodity since issued with the permit three months ago.
Last month the minister gave millers a seven-day ultimatum up to the end of April to indicate that they would import maize, failure to which their licence would be revoked.
The government had entered into a memorandum of understanding with all the importers to ship in the produce at not more than Sh4,200 for a 90-kilogramme bag, which was one of the conditions before the import permits were issued.
Millers argued that a metric tonne of maize lands in Mombasa at Sh4,700 for a 90-kilo bag, meaning that if they sell at the government’s desired price, they would not break even.
In major retail outlets, key brands of flour such as Jogoo, Soko and Dola have declined marginally to sell at below Sh200 in response to the stiff competition brought about by Ajab flour which is selling at Sh159 for a two-kilo packet.
