Prices of maize flour are set to go down by Ksh2 following the government’s directive on the lifting of levies announced by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya on Tuesday, June 28.

Speaking to media on Thursday, June 30, United Grain Millers Association (UGMA) chairperson, Ken Nyaga explained that the waiver of levies was not enough to see the prices lowered significantly.

He explained that the millers were charged levies amounting to Ksh100 for a 90 kg bag of maize hence the insignificant change in price.

“The move is so insignificant, we need a serious government intervention on making the maize available in order to cut down significantly on the cost of flour,” he stated.

Currently, a 2 kg packet of maize flour goes for at least Ksh200.

Nyaga called on the government to engage with neighbouring countries over their surplus supply of maize and the reduction of taxes charged for the export and import of maize

“If we can have direct government talks to scrap export permit levy, then the price of maize will come down and this will impact on the cost of the final product,” he stated. 

On June 28, Munya announced that the government had waived levies charged by the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA), Kenya Bureau of Standards (KEBS) and other regulatory bodies in a bid to tame the high cost of living.

He stated that the changes would take effect from July 1 for a period of 90 days.

“This directive will take effect in the next two days once it has been published and gazetted by the government.

“We (the government) are looking for ways of addressing the cost of maize which has affected every home in the country. Maize is the staple food in the country,” he stated

The skyrocketing prices of maize flour has blamed on poor harvests over the last couple of years and the high prices of fertilizer which has prevented many farmers from engaging in farming.