Kenya explores maize imports from Zambia, Tanzania to stabilize supply to millers
According to import shipment records covering April 2024 to March 2025, Tanzania, Zambia and Uganda together accounted for approximately 99 percent of Kenya’s maize import shipments.
KENYA – The Kenya Cereal Millers Association (CMA) has initiated high-level engagements with key maize-producing neighbours, Zambia and Tanzania, in a bid to stabilise maize supply for Kenya’s milling sector.
At a high-level engagement hosted by the Zambia High Commission in Kenya, CMA recently held discussions with the Zambia Food Reserve Agency (FRA) to assess opportunities for sourcing maize from Zambia.
According to CMA, talks focused on export readiness, quality assurance systems, and logistics corridors to support reliable cross-border supply into Kenya in response to current market conditions and anticipated supply constraints later in the year.
In parallel, CMA also held discussions with the Ambassador of Tanzania to Kenya to explore maize supply opportunities from Tanzania, traditionally Kenya’s largest external maize supplier.
“This engagement comes at a critical time as CMA continues to proactively source maize from regional markets in response to current supply pressures and anticipated shortages later in the year. Ensuring adequate grain supply is essential to maintaining price stability, protecting consumers, and supporting uninterrupted production across the flour value chain,” CMA said.
According to the statement, Tanzania has indicated an initial availability of 30,000 metric tonnes, with the potential to scale up exports to as much as 500,000 metric tonnes, subject to agreement on competitive pricing, logistics arrangements and commercial terms acceptable to both markets.
With domestic maize production projected to be robust, reaching over 4 million MT in 2026, imports remain crucial to bridging seasonal deficits and ensuring continuity of processing operations.
Historically, Tanzania has been Kenya’s largest maize import source, accounting for the bulk of imports. However, non-tariff restrictions imposed by Tanzanian authorities, including export permit requirements, saw imports from Tanzania decline sharply by 41.78 percent to 412,755 tonnes in the 2022/23 marketing year.
These restrictions prompted traders to source more maize from non-traditional markets such as Zambia and South Africa, according to the US Department of Agriculture (USDA).
With the new move, CMA says its regional outreach aims to ensure uninterrupted milling operations, protect consumers from price volatility, and support national food security for over 50 million maize consumers.
“By strengthening cross-border partnerships, aligning standards, and fostering transparent pricing mechanisms, we can build more resilient and responsive grain markets that benefit farmers, millers, traders, and consumers alike,” the association noted.
The association has emphasised the importance of government-to-government support, harmonised standards and structured private-sector participation to unlock efficient regional grain trade.
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