Govt Says Rice Imports Will Not Hurt Local Farmers

The government has moved to assure local farmers that the ongoing importation of rice will not disrupt the market or disadvantage them.

This follows complaints from farmers who said they still had large stocks of rice that had not been bought.

In a statement released on July 31, Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) Director General Bruno Linyiru explained that Kenya consumes about 1.3 million metric tonnes of rice every year, yet only 264,000 metric tonnes—about 20%—is produced locally. The rest has always been covered by imports.

However, recent global disruptions and rising prices have made rice imports difficult, especially for low-income households.

“Failing to import rice now, when there is a shortage, could result in serious food shortages or cause rice and other basic goods like maize flour and wheat to become too expensive. That would drive up the cost of living and affect millions of Kenyans,” said Linyiru.

He said the government’s approval of duty-free importation of 500,000 metric tonnes of Grade 1 milled white rice, as outlined in Gazette Notice No. 10353 of July 28, 2025, is a short-term strategy to ease the current pressure in the market.

“This move is about protecting national food security, keeping prices stable, and making sure rice remains affordable, especially for low-income families,” he said.

To cushion local farmers, Linyiru said the government, through the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC), has continued buying rice directly from farmers and ensuring it is milled and sold.

“KNTC remains committed to offering a ready market to local rice farmers during the milling process,” he said.

He added that in partnership with the Government of Japan, the Kenyan government is expanding rice-growing areas such as Mwea, Ahero, and Bura through irrigation. This is part of the National Rice Development Strategy, which seeks to improve irrigation systems, farm inputs, marketing and value addition—reducing long-term reliance on imports.