Maize imports climbed over three times in the three months to June as traders rushed to take advantage of the government waiver of duty on imported grain to address local market shortages.
Data by the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) show maize imports hit 223,528 tonnes between April and June this year, a 92 per cent increase from the 116,152 tonnes imported between January and March.
The rise was also a 278 per cent increase from the quantities imported into the country during a similar quarter last year.
“There was a surge in the volume of imports of maize, which more than tripled from 59,100 tonnes in the second quarter of 2021 to 223,500 tonnes in the second quarter of 2022. Consequently, expenditure on imported maize rose significantly from KES 1.5 billion to KES 6.2 billion over the same period,” KNBS said.
KNBS noted an increase in maize coming in from Tanzania, with the total value of goods imported from the neighbouring country rising by 42 per cent to KES 15.4 billion compared to KES 10.8 billion last year.
National Treasury Cabinet Secretary Ukur Yatani in May suspended tax on maize imports of up to 540,000 tonnes to increase imports from outside the East African Community (EAC) in a bid to ease pressure on maize flour prices.
A prolonged drought and high input costs have cut output of the staple, pushing the price of a kilo of maize flour to KES 84 in September, up from KES 57 last year.
The government in July extended duty-free maize imports for two more months to allow importers to ship in the product to ease a shortage of the cereal that has pushed up the cost of maize flour.
