NCPB Buys 1.6 Million Bags of Maize from Farmers

A total 5.12 Billion shillings has been used to buy 1.6 million bags of maize by the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) from Kenyan farmers.

NCPB is buying a 90-kilogram bag of maize at 3,200 shillings, compared to 2016 price of 3,000 shillings for the same quantity.

The board has paid out 2.6 billion shillings as more farmers deliver the produce due to the attractive price compared to 2,400 shillings offered by middlemen.

According to NCPB’s corporate affair manager Mr. Titus Maiyo, they shall be making payments for maize deliveries as they receive funds from the government.

“Policy inspectors have been deployed to our buying centers to ensure that the imported subsidized maize or crop from neighboring countries do not end up in our stores,” said Mr.Maiyo.

Last month, the government, through the Ministry of Agriculture announced the end of the six-month maize import subsidy, setting the stage for a rally in flour prices to at least 110 shillings a packet.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett disclosed that the 6 billion shillings’ subsidy will not be extended beyond Sunday.

According to the CS, there is enough maize in the country to feed its population, which is also enough for millers to stock.

The subsidy programme was supposed to have come to an end last year in August but was extended twice to curb the rise in flour prices.

In May last year, the government announced 6-billion-shilling subsidy on maize imports to help lower the cost of flour, which had shot up due to drought and poor planning.

The subsidy lowered the price of a 90-kg bag of maize to 2,300 shillings from above 4,000 shillings. This has kept the cost of the two-kg packet of flour at 90 shillings from a high of 153 shillings in April.