Agriculture CS Willy Bett says maize flour prices to drop in two weeks

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett, who said the price of maize flour is expected to drop in two weeks. PHOTO | DENNIS ONSONGO | NATION MEDIA GROUP

What you need to know:

  • He said he met with millers Thursday and they made the commitment.
  • He said more maize imported from Zambia an Ethiopia is expected to stabilise the prices.

The price of maize flour is expected to fall in two weeks.

Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Willy Bett made the announcement as he received 335,000 bags of Mexican maize at the Mombasa port.

He said he met with millers Thursday and they made a commitment to lower prices.

At least 2.8 million bags of maize will be imported by July 31.

“It is quite early to say exactly when and by how much the prices will come down but I assure you they will,” he said at the port.

He said more maize imported from Zambia and Ethiopia is expected to stabilise the prices.

“I want to assure Kenyans that the government is addressing the issue and that the prices of staple food commodities will not continue to rise,” he said.

The government is banking on maize imports to bring down the cost of flour, currently retailing for an average of Sh150 for a two-kilogramme packet.

Mr Bett made the announcement even as millers warned that the Mexican maize was unlikely to bring down flour prices, calling it inadequate.

Millers say the price of the commodity will remain high in the next two months, but they expect the cost to come down when the full consignment of imports from Mexico arrives.