Kenya considers duty-free import of 3MMT of maize amid low harvest

KENYA – The Kenyan Government is actively reviewing a proposal to allow the duty-free importation of up to three million metric tonnes of white maize to avert impending food shortages and stabilize the rising cost of maize flour.

The policy intervention comes as domestic grain production dropped to its lowest level in seven years, creating severe supply constraints across the national milling industry.

Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said state officials are carefully evaluating a formal request from the Cereal Millers Association (CMA).

The CMA has advocated for a nine-month duty-free window to enable grain processors to negotiate supply contracts, organize international logistics, and secure sufficient shipments.

CMA has asked the Government to gazette three million tonnes of white maize for duty-free importation, arguing that the waiver would lower the cost of imported grain, widen sourcing options and help millers maintain affordable maize flour prices.

CMA chief executive Paloma Fernandes said Kenya is facing its steepest maize production decline in years, with only six major producing counties expected to produce more than one million bags this season.

Emphasizing the need for proactive government action, CS Kagwe highlighted that authorities cannot afford to delay until local grain reserves are completely exhausted before stepping in to protect consumers.

The proposed import window follows the Government’s announcement of plans to import one million 90-kilogramme bags of maize to bridge an anticipated food deficit.

The millers’ association wants the duty-free import window to remain open for nine months, saying a longer period would give importers enough time to secure supply contracts, arrange financing and organize shipments.

It would also allow millers to source competitively priced, non-GMO white maize from regional and international markets.

To further relieve pressure on the human food supply, the ministry is pursuing a parallel plan to gazette 360,000 metric tonnes of imported yellow maize specifically for animal feed manufacturing.

By encouraging animal feed producers to transition away from white maize, the Government hopes to reserve more white maize exclusively for household unga (flour) consumption.

Additionally, the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) is preparing its facilities to absorb incoming shipments, confirming available capacity for approximately two million 90-kilogram bags.

Despite the urgent need to replenish national stocks, officials maintain that safety standards will not be compromised.

CS Kagwe stressed that all imported grain must strictly adhere to sanitary and phytosanitary rules, specifically targeting moisture content and aflatoxin contamination.

To prevent costly logistical bottlenecks at cross-border points, the Government is introducing streamlined testing procedures to determine grain quality in minutes rather than days, alongside one-stop border clearance protocols designed to eliminate multi-day transport delays.

Zambia and Tanzania look promising

Zambia and Tanzania have emerged as immediate regional sourcing options, with Kenya’s High Commissioner to Zambia, Lilian Tomitom, confirming that Zambia has maize available. She said Kenyan traders operating in Zambia and Malawi are ready to facilitate supplies to Kenyan millers.

However, transport costs could make Zambian maize expensive in the Kenyan market. CS Kagwe called for discussions with the Zambian Government to reduce the source price and help offset the high cost of transporting the grain to Kenya.

CMA also warned that Tanzania could impose export restrictions if its domestic stocks tighten, potentially disrupting supplies from Tanzania and maize transported from Zambia through Tanzanian routes. Fernandes therefore urged the Government to allow importers flexibility to source from alternative international markets.

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