Maize Prices Down as Harvest Season begins

Maize is a staple food of the country and to many Kenyan households, this is what entails ‘inflation’ in relation to food products. For many years, Rift Valley and Trans-Nzoia have been known as the food hub of the country for these are the regions that produce maize in bulk.

In this month of October, the harvesting season is ongoing in the North Rift part of Kenya and the farmers are harvesting their crops at a faster rate due to the ongoing El Nino rains. In the South Rift, harvesting is yet to begin as the crops are yet to dry but with the coming rains that might ruin the crops, farmers might be forced to harvest early.

The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) is yet to open its outlets to start purchasing maize from farmers. As a result of the National Cereals Board not opening its outlets, the maize prices are now being influenced solely by prices set by the businessmen, brokers and farmers.

Currently the prices have started falling with the current price of a 90 kg bag standing at KSh 2,300 in Eldoret. The prices are falling fast as the exceeding supply of maize chokes market prices. The prices will continue falling through November and December as the South Rift also enters the harvesting phase towards the end of November though we shall have adequate food supply, the farmer is likely to run into losses because of the low prices.

Most farmers are considering hoarding their maize stocks beyond December when they hope prices will have improved as it was the case last year when the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPD) purchased maize at Ksh. 2,800 per 90 kg bag.