Zambia material export ban sends feed prices record high - VIDEO

The cost of animal feeds has hit a record high after Zambia banned the export of soya and sunflower meals, which are major raw material used in feed production.

Zambia is one of the main source markets for Kenya for the products, and a freeze in exports is expected to have a negative effect on feed supply.

The Association of Kenya Feed Manufacturers (Akefema) says that 15 millers have already closed shop due to high cost of doing business.

The cost of Soya has now doubled to Sh130 from Sh65 a kilogramme in August last year, while sunflower meal is up from Sh25 to Sh35.

Akefema appealed to the government to allow duty-free importation of GMO yellow maize and soya to ease the current deficit.

“Since this (Zambia) is one of the main source markets for Kenya, the price of the little available soya has gone up resulting in a sharp rise in the cost of producing feeds,” said Martin Kinoti, the general secretary of Akefema.

As a result, the price of a 70-kilogramme bag of dairy meal has gone up to Sh3,400 from Sh2,500 in August last year, chick marsh is retailing at Sh4,200, up from Sh3,250 while layers marsh is now selling at Sh3,800 from Sh3,100.

The price of other key ingredients such as wheat bran have also gone up to sell at Sh28 a kilo from Sh18 previously while maize germ is retailing at Sh30 from Sh20 previously.

Akefema said that in the last six months there has been scarcity of sunflower seed and cottonseed cake with no indication yet that the situation will improve in the short term.

“We are therefore appealing to the government to allow the feed industry to import soya bean meal from the world market, including from GMO producing countries,” said Mr Kinoti.