Maize price falls to Sh3,100 on toxins, lower consumer demand
Friday, June 19, 2020 0:01
By GERALD ANDAE
Agriculture Principal Secretary Hamadi Boga.
FILE PHOTO | NMG
The price of maize has dropped to Sh3,100 from Sh3,500 a bag on the back of high levels of aflatoxin that has seen millers reject most of the produce amidst falling consumer demand.
"Frankly, there is no demand for flour hence the lower maize prices," said Rajan Shah, chief executive officer of Capwell Industries, the makers of Soko and Amaize flour.
"Regulators need to understand the serious challenges millers are facing on how to sieve through good and bad maize because suppliers are becoming more unscrupulous by mixing maize with aflatoxin especially the stocks coming in from Uganda," he said.
The falling price comes at a time when government has authorised importation of two million bags of white maize to ease the shortage that is anticipated to hit the country at the end of this month.
