Kenya has enough maize, other grains until next major harvest, says Minister

KENYA – The Kenyan government has reassured the public that the nation is well-stocked with maize and other staple grains sufficient to last until the next major harvest season in August 2024.

Paul Rono, the Principal Secretary for Agriculture, confirmed that current stocks and forecasted imports will ensure a stable supply of maize across most counties.

According to Rono, the maize balance sheet projects a surplus of approximately 31.07 million 50kg bags by the end of August 2024.

This surplus is based on carryover stocks of 36.6 million bags and an estimated 1.08 million bags from forecasted imports starting in May.

The long rains crop, expected to yield around 24.5 million bags, will come from low altitude regions like Bomet, parts of Narok, Nyamira, and Migori, where planting occurred early in the year.

The Food and Nutrition Security Report from the Ministry of Agriculture further highlights a favorable outlook for other staples.

The wheat balance sheet indicates a surplus of 10.2 million 50kg bags by August 2024. This is supported by 8.7 million bags of imports from the private sector and an early harvest of 2.8 million bags from the long rains.

In terms of beans, the surplus projected for July 2024 stands at 10.3 million 50kg bags. This includes carryover stocks of 3.4 million bags, an estimated 270,000 bags of imports, and about nine million bags from the early June and July harvests.

Similarly, rice stocks are expected to have a surplus of 4.1 million 50kg bags, based on carryover stocks of 3.3 million bags, imports of approximately 3.6 million bags, and a long rains harvest of 1.2 million bags.

Rono noted a significant improvement in national food security since May, with staple foods increasingly available at both household and market levels.

This availability has contributed to a decline in prices for cereals and pulses, as some farmers who had been holding stocks for speculative reasons began releasing them into the market.

Despite these improvements, the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ Consumer Price Index for May 2024 recorded a slight increase of one percent, bringing the overall inflation rate to 5.1 percent compared to 5 percent in April.

This increase was largely due to rising prices for fresh vegetables, including spinach, kale, tomatoes, and Irish potatoes.

The Principal Secretary observed that improved crop production in 2023 and enhanced local supplies of food staples have positively impacted import trends.

Total maize imports for May decreased from 523,771 bags in April to 516,151 bags, down from 633,555 bags in March. Most maize imports were sourced from Tanzania, with notable quantities from Uganda.

Additionally, the quantity of beans imported in May saw an increase, doubling from 5,153 bags in April to 11,931 bags.

However, these figures remain relatively low compared to previous years. Rice imports also decreased, with 352,300 bags arriving in May, a drop from 610,020 bags in April and 1.185 million bags in March.

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