Kenyans should expect a minimal reduction in the price of flour in the coming days after Agriculture Cabinet secretary Peter Munya gazetted the suspension of fees and levies on maize.
Mr Munya, in a notice published in the Kenya gazette, said the government had from Friday, suspended fees and levies charged on imported maize.
The suspension, which lasts 90 days, comes just three days after the minister promised to issue a notice lifting fees and levies on the grain “to ease the pain on Kenyans”.
“It is notified for the information of the general public that the Cabinet Secretary responsible for Agriculture, Livestock, Fisheries and Co-operatives has suspended the payment of fees and levies charged on imported maize for… 90 days with effect from July 1,” Mr Munya said in the notice.
Millers yesterday said the decision by the CS is a relief to them and consumers.
Kitui Maize Mills chief accountant Paul Miiri said while it may be difficult to ascertain how much the reduction in the pricing of flour will be, the decision by the CS is welcome.
“We do not expect prices to come down soon. The move by government is okay but millers should be involved in making decisions that directly affect them,” Mr Miiri said.
Grain Belt Millers Association chairman Kipng’etich Mutai said the announcement by the CS would bring relief to consumers, even though it may still be too early to tell by how much the flour prices would fall.
“The biting maize shortage has pushed the cost of flour up,” Mr Mutai said.
He added that flour prices would reduce since millers would get the grains at lower costs.
Currently, a 90-kilo bag of maize goes for Sh6,200, pushing the cost of a 2kg packet of flour to Sh210.
It is a situation never witnessed in Kenya.
“Any reduced amount as a result of waiving of the charges will be passed to consumers,” Mr Mutai said.
Last week, Mr Munya argued that the levies charged on imported maize have made the grain expensive.
Imported maize is levied Sh100 for a 90kg sack, with the amount producing 36 packets of 2kg flour when processed.
The levies include a certificate of conformity by the Kenya Bureau of Standards, the phytosanitary fee by the Kenya Health Inspectorate Service and the import declaration fee by the KRA.
Mr Miiri also asked the government to address the dollar shortage, “which has affected the purchase and import of maize. BY DAILY NATION