State rules out stopping maize imports
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett speaks during a media briefing at the Intercontinental Hotel in Nairobi on September 5, 2016. According to Mr Bett, business between the EA countries will move seamlessly so long as the goods meet the required standards. PHOTO | SALATON NJAU | NATION MEDIA GROUP
What you need to know:
- Implementation of EAC common market protocol allows free trade in commodities including cereals.
Kenya will not stop maize imports from Uganda, Tanzania, Rwanda and Burundi as the East African countries have signed customs union protocol, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett has said.
According to Mr Bett, business between the EA countries will move seamlessly so long as the goods meet the required standards.
“We are not supposed to stop maize from coming from the region. We are a bloc and have signed protocol. We challenge our farmers to be more competitive in crop production in order to remain relevant in the market,” said the CS, adding: “But crops from Uganda are more competitive than ours and this really gives our farmers a challenge to be more competitive in production.”
Implementation of EAC common market protocol allows free trade in commodities including cereals.
Farmers in the North Rift have complained that influential personalities associated with senior government officials import cheap maize ahead of harvesting of the produce in key growing areas.
Speaking on Friday during the official opening of agri-business trade fair at the University of Eldoret, Mr Bett said a team has been formed to carry out survey on maize pricing, which will be profitable to farmers.
“We have to take care of the consumer. If the price of maize goes up, we are going to hurt someone. We have already set up a team which is carrying out market price survey,” added the CS.
Mr Bett urged the farmers to harvest their maize and take it to the National Cereals and Produce Board depots and avoid being duped to sell their produce by middlemen.
