The National Cereals and Produce Board says it has no maize stocks.
Shortages of maize worsened in most parts of North Rift and Western Kenya pushing the prices to more than Sh5,000 per 90kg bag.
Board CEO board Andrew Kimote said they had sold out stocks the board bought last year and at the moment their stores were empty.
“We have no maize at all,” Kimote told the Star on the phone. A spot check at NCPB stores in Eldoret and at Moi’s Bridge indicated there were no maize stocks.
As the maize crisis worsens, Kimote said they were awaiting government communication on any plans to import maize.
Last year, farmers produced fewer than 37 million bags of maize, a major shortfall as Kenya's consumption is about 45 million bags.
Farmers in the high-producing counties of Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia say they have no maize stocks. Claims are circulating that middlemen are hoarding the commodity to push the prices further up.
The commodity is also scarce at most markets and consumers are protesting.
Director of the Kenya Farmers Association Kipkorir Menjo said the situation has been compounded by shortages in Uganda and Tanzania, which usually supply maize to Kenya.
“The nearest maize can be imported from is Malawi but it’s equally too costly and by the time the commodity reaches here the prices will be more than Sh6,000 per bag," Menjo said.
Uasin Gishu executive for Agriculture Samwel Yego said maize prices are at an all-time high and they will probably exceed the current price of about Sh200 for a 2kg packet if the situation doesn't improve.
Yego said farmers in Uasin Gishu last season harvested about five million bags, most of which was sold out.
“As counties in this region, we know it’s true that there are no maize stocks left with our farmers and we are not sure of any stocks held at the cereals board," Yego said.
“We are not getting any supplies and if the situation does not improve, then the little we get will be at very high costs," a miller in Eldoret said.
Uganda and Tanzania reported low production last year and there have restricted exports.
Menjo said the reduced maize production is also partly due to the advice from politicians in North Rift that farmers should abandon maize or diversify.
They urged farmers to go for alternative crops such as avocado.
Hundreds of farmers heeded the call and reduced acreage under maize production.
“It’s unfortunate that the some politicians have turned round and are blaming the government for the maize shortages," Menjo said.
(Edited by V. Graham)
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