Decline on Wheat Production Expected as Farmers Opt Maize Farming

By Verah Shawiza

The Kenyan wheat industry is expected to face a shortage as farmers are preferring maize farming due to improved prices on the cereal.

Wheat has for a long time been the second most important cereal grain in the country after maize. Wheat farming in Kenya is largely done for commercial purposes on a large-scale. Kenya is self-sufficient in the hard variety of wheat but is a net importer of the softer variety.

Kenya has been known to be a net importer of wheat and according to statistics from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the total production of wheat currently stands at below 500,000 tons against an annual consumption of 1 million tons. Farmers have disclosed that the move to opt maize farming was due to the high production rate of wheat, especially on the chemicals required to control weeds and rust.

Currently, a 90-kilogram bag of maize is retailing at an average of 4,200 shillings and on the other hand, the cost of chemicals used to control weeds goes for 25,000 shillings per 5 liters, which is enough for 5 acres. Wheat farmers have to keep spraying the crop after every two weeks to control the rust and therefore makes the whole process very expensive.

Wheat growing areas in Kenya include the scenic Rift Valley regions of Uasin Gishu, Narok, Marakwet, Elgeyo, Londiani, Molo, Nakuru and Timau areas.

As wheat consumption increases in the country, the production rate now goes down which in the end will affect most households, especially is the maize shortage situation will not be addressed early enough. In the recent past, there has been a change in the dietary patterns and a robust food service sector. A growing preference for wheat products is evident across the income groups in both rural and urban areas, with both commercial and home-baking becoming common. Demand for wheat products is also evident in the growth of pasta, confectionery and breakfast cereals sectors, while a limited amount of wheat is also used in the manufacture of animal feeds.