North Rift maize farmers worried as cheap grain from Ugandan floods market

An influx of cheap maize from Uganda has angered farmers in Trans Nzoia who now want the Kenya to withdraw from the East African trade bloc.

Speaking in Kitale, chairman of the Kenya National Farmers Federation William Kimosong said the influx was destabilising the market.

He said this was unfair as the cheap grain could find its way to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) stores.

They said the government should restrict entry of the Ugandan maize in retaliation by Uganda limiting the importation of fuel from Kenya in favour of Tanzania.

“We want the government to be realistic. You cannot purport to be in business yet Ugandans are reaping more from the Kenyan market than Kenyans are gaining from their market,” Mr Kimosong said.

He said the maize from Uganda is selling at Sh1,800 per 50 kg bag while the Kenyan maize retails for about Sh2,500 for the same quantity.

DISCARD EAC TREATY

“The government should not prioritise bilateral relations at the expense of the common farmer. We want the EAC treaty to be done away with,” said Mr Andrew Rotich, a farmer.

Senator Henry ole Ndiema said the county government should establish market linkages for farmers instead of merely focusing on value addition.

“What our farmers need is a reduced cost of production and the best market to sell their produce. Value addition with no market will not help them much,” he said.

The county government has already begun profiling maize farmers in the region in a bid to cushion them against losing out when selling their produce to NCPB.

“We are profiling farmers to ensure only genuine ones sell their maize to the cereals board instead of leaving the field open since middlemen may benefit by supplying cheap Ugandan maize,” said Deputy Governor Stanley Tarus.