This archive report was first published on 1 November 2019.
Kenya's largest irrigation scheme, Mwea in Kirinyaga County, is facing a crisis as unbranded Pakistani rice floods the market, pushing local farmers and traders to the brink of closure.
According to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Mwea produces about 100,000 tonnes of rice, accounting for 80 percent of the national output. However, the country has a deficit of 400,000 tonnes of rice annually, forcing it to import 300,000 tonnes.
As a result, local rice is struggling to compete with the cheaper Pakistani imports, with a kilogramme of Pakistani rice selling at Sh80 compared to Sh130-Sh140 for the Mwea brand.
Traders interviewed expressed concerns that their mini-rice milling factories were on the verge of closure due to lack of profits, with some owners, like Ms Mary Mumbi of Good Hope Rice Millers, warning that many will be forced to close shop soon.
“Business has become really hard for us because of the imported rice,” Ms Mumbi said.
Local farmers and traders are calling on the government to regulate imports and protect their interests.
