Market News

Millers Yet to Get Direction On Duty-Free Maize

BY Jane Muia · January 18, 2023 11:01 am

The government is yet to issue clarity on the importation of duty-free maize with less than a month to the opening of the importation window.

Millers say they are yet to hear from the government despite having applied for permits to import the grain. More than 5 large-scale millers have so far applied for the permits and they are waiting for directions from the government.

The millers want to know the quantity of maize each will be allowed to ship in, and the criteria that will be used in the allocation quota.

“We cannot make any orders now without clarity on the type of maize that we should import and the quantities that each miller should be allowed to ship in the country,” said Aggarwal Atin, CEO of Trident Millers.

The clarity delays are likely to delay the importation of the grain which is expected to ease pressure on the maize flour prices. Millers say after making an order, it takes at least 45 days for the consignment to arrive in the country.

The ministry of agriculture last year allowed millers and traders to import 900,000 tonnes or 10 million bags of white duty-free maize from February 1, 2023, to ease the surging cost of the country’s staple. The State will allow traders to ship in the commodity from outside the regional market duty-free between February and August just two months before the onset of the main harvest in October.

Millers however say due to the delays, the earliest the maize can get into the country is in March. They are also expressing fears that it might be hard to find sufficient stocks in the world market as there isn’t enough white maize globally as most of the produce in the would-be source market is genetically modified.

The government in October lifted the ban on the cultivation and importation of genetically modified crops, but it remains unclear whether farmers should import GMO maize.

Trending Stories

Investment Your Investment Plan For 2025: Mansa X (19.53%) vs. Oak Fund (29.38%) – 2024 Performance, Which Should You Invest In? Steve Biko Wafula

Entrepreneur's Corner 15 Reasons Why You NEED NCBA Now: The Bank Fueling Ambition And Entrepreneurship In Kenya Steve Biko Wafula

Government and Policy HELB Opens Loans And Bursary Application For Students, How To Apply Getrude Mathayo

Investment Economic Growth: 3Q24 GDP Growth Slows To 4.0% From 6.0% In 3Q23 Soko Directory Team

Headlines Jubilee Health Insurance Launches Its First Center of Excellence, Agency Office; Empowering Agents To Bridge Kenya’s Healthcare Gap Soko Directory Team

Market News CBK’s 8.3-Year-Bond Oversubscribed, Ksh 59 Billion Worth Of Bids Received Soko Directory Team

Market News T-Bills Record First Undersubscription In Two Weeks As Kenyans Go For Shorter Tenors Soko Directory Team

Market News Kenya Airways Sustains Rising Streak, Ends The Day As Top Gainer Soko Directory Team

Market News Government Borrowing in FY24/25: A Closer Look at Progress And Market Dynamics Soko Directory Team

Market News Liquidity Conditions In The Money Market: A Stable Start To The Year Soko Directory Team

Explore Soko Directory

Banking Blogging Commodity Watch Did you know Entertainment Entrepreneur's Corner Feature Government and Policy Headlines Investment Lifestyle Market News Money Opinion Press Releases Stock Watch Technology

Soko Directory Archives

January 2025 (53)

March 2014 (2)

March 2013 (10)
June 2013 (1)