Kenyan millers may be dragging their feet on maize imports from Tanzania due to surplus production at home last season.
Sources at the Namanga border post intimated recently that bumper harvest was the reason for the recent maize import ban.
Officials of Kenya's Agricultural and Food Authority (AFA), which imposed the ban, could not confirm this but hinted Kenya would not import the cereal from Tanzania and Uganda for now.
It was the same authority which on March 5 banned imports of maize from the two countries, citing Aflatoxin contamination above the safety benchmants.
Two days later AFA rescinded the ban but insisted imports of the grains from the two countries must be free of the cancer-causing mycotoxins.
Maize importers in Kenya have, however, protested over this, saying contamination of the maize by the toxic material could be an excuse to lock them out of the business.
"Our hearts are bleeding. This is our biggest loss ever in this business", said Daniel Wainaina, the chairman of Kenya International Freight and Warehousing Association (Kifwa).
He said during a meeting convened by the East African Business Council (EABC) that they were not sure if the samples taken on the maize cargo meant all consignments were infected.
AFA insists maize imports be accompanied with a certificate of conformity which has to comply with a maximum Aflatoxin levels of 10 parts per billion.
But traders interviewed claimed highly contaminated cereals can still be separated with those not much affected so as to save them from huge losses.
Others hinted that the Kenyan authorities could be foot dragging due to bumper harvests of maize in the last season or imports from other source countries.
Bitterly dismayed Wainana said he had been told there has been a surplus of maize in Rift Valley and Western regions during 2020/2021.
This is corroborated by remarks made by a senior AFA official who said maize imports from Tanzania and Uganda would not be considered until June.
"Kenya would not need maize imports until June. There is plenty from North Rift", said the crop inspector with the agency Calistus Efukho.
Traders interviewed said Kenya would normally assess its maize stocks in June to see if there was a need for imports of the commodity.
It is during the middle of the year when projections of the season's harvests are concluded and demand to fill the gap known.
Tanzania maize exporters, however, have another story as to why their main traditional market for their commodity was problematic this year.
Those reached out said in Kenya had recently imported huge quantities of maize from abroad, technically blocking out imports from the East African region.
"I have also heard of this but not yet sure", stated Walter Maeda, the chairperson of Tanzania Chamber of Commerce, Industry and Agriculture (TCCIA in the region.
Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA),Kifwa and AFA officials have denied this but the latter hinted that the ban may be reviewed in June "depending on how importers would comply".
As the saga continues, reports have it that over 1.4 million Kenyans are staring at starvation due to a shortage of 5.5 million maize bags.
Projected annual production of maize last year was 43.2 million bags against an annual requirement of 47 million bags.
The projection was not achieved as the country produced 41.5 million bags, resulting in a shortfall of 5.5 million bags.
0 Comments:
Post a Comment