Kenyans might be forced to dig deeper into their pockets to set ugali on the table, after the United Trade Millers Association announced plans to increase maize flour prices.
According to a communication from the association’s vice chairman Ken Nyaga, Unga prices are set to rise from Ksh75 to Ksh100 per 2kg packet.
Nyaga said that farmers are refusing to sell their maize, waiting for the government’s promised price of Ksh3,000 per 90 kgs bag.
“The farmers are refusing to sell their maize because the government promised to buy the maize at Ksh3,000 per 90kgs bag. So they do not want to sell a 90kg bag at Ksh2,300. It is the high time the government came up with proper ways to streamline the maize industry. We are between a rock and a hard place. There is no maize available from the farmers we cannot sustain the current market of Ksh75 per 2kg packet,” said Mr Nyaga.
A 2kg maize flour packet has been retailing at Ksh75, following a government order to the maize millers and retailers.
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Last year, the price of the important commodity shot up to Ksh200 per 2kg packet, forcing the government to intervene and allow importation of duty-free maize from Mexico.
The maize is currently ‘rotting’ at the government’s National Cereal and Produce Board silos, even as farmers say they have nowhere to take their maize since the stores are full.
Farmers experienced a bumper harvest during the long rain season.
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