This archive report was first published on 5 January 2022.
January is shaping up to be a challenging month for Kenyans, with the price of cooking flour set to rise next week.
The increase is attributed to a surge in demand for the commodity following the festive season, according to the Unga Millers Association.
Association chairperson Ken Nyaga explained that the rise, which was initially expected in December, did not materialize as Kenyans opted for other food commodities during the festive season.
However, with the second week of January approaching, reports indicate that the price of a 2kg packet of maize flour is likely to increase by Ksh8, taking the price to Ksh130 from the current Ksh122.
This comes after the price rose from Ksh108 in November 2021.
‘In December, there is normally lower demand for maize flour as households turn to other foods. By the end of this week, we shall have a clearer picture of what the market will look like going forward,’ Nyaga stated.
The sentiments by the millers come after reports of a shortage of maize within the country’s cereal stores, with the Ministry of Agriculture stating that the rise in prices was to be expected.
Trans-Nzoia County, one of the leading counties in maize production, has also reported a shortage of maize, prompting the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) to review the prices of maize from Ksh2,700 to Ksh3,000 to entice farmers to sell their produce.
However, farmers from the county refuted the reports, stating that they had just harvested and their crops, and were still preparing their harvests.
‘We are just from harvesting our main crop and there shouldn’t be talks of a shortage at the moment. Millers have been saying that there is a shortage but I told them that we have enough maize, especially here in Trans-Nzoia,’ Mary Nzomo, an agricultural officer in Trans Nzoia stated.
