Makutano, an urban centre in West Pokot, which borders Trans Nzoia, has the cheapest maize in the country.
A survey by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) shows a kilogramme (kg) of the grain was retailing at Sh39 on average in the town in January.
This is the cheapest price of the popular commodity in all towns that were surveyed across the 47 counties during the month. Makutano is located right on the border between West Pokot and Trans Nzoia, which is the leading producer of maize.
The town, therefore, receives a steady supply of the grain helping stabilise retail prices.
Burnt Forest in Uasin Gishu, another leading maize producer, had the second cheapest maize with prices averaging Sh42.80 per kilogramme followed by Soko Mjinga in Homa Bay where prices averaged Sh44.40.
In Nairobi, Kawangware had the cheapest maize with a kilogramme attracting Sh46.10 on average, while in Kisumu, the cheapest maize was found in Kiboswa at Sh46.5 per kilogramme.
Despite being the point of entry for a significant portion of imported maize, Mombasa has some of the highest maize prices in the country. In Mackinnon, a kilogramme is retailing at Sh100. This makes it the most expensive maize in the country alongside Wajir, Marsabit town, and Mkunguni in Lamu where maize was also retailing for Sh100.
This means that the price of maize, a staple food in Kenya, is more than double in some towns. This difference is largely influenced by the distance from the main maize production zones.
Overall, the average price of maize in the country stood at Sh65.90 per kilogramme in January, which is a 12.3 percent decline from an average price of Sh75.20 in January last year. “The average monthly retail market price for one kilogramme of maize decreased from Sh70.2 in December 2023 to Sh65.9 in January 2024,” said KNBS.
Maize is a staple food in Kenya and therefore its price has a huge bearing on the cost of living of Kenyans. The cereal is grown locally but production does not meet demand.
Further, yields are hampered by drought and land fragmentation amid high costs of inputs, leading to diminished production.
An assessment report by the Kenya Food Security Steering Group and the Agriculture Ministry expects the 2023 national maize production to be 4.2 million tonnes, 15-20 percent above the five-year average.
