Chris Kaijuka, the Chairperson of Grain Council of Uganda, says that 90 percent of Uganda’s maize going to Kenya is exported informally, something he describes as unfortunate.
The Grain
Council of Uganda has called for the government’s urgent intervention into the maize
trade, which it says is currently dominated by informal dealings. Chris Kaijuka, the Chairperson of the Grain Council of Uganda, says that 90 percent of Uganda’s maize
going to Kenya is exported informally, something he describes as unfortunate.
This
comes a few days after Kenya’s Agriculture and Food Authority announced a ban
on the importation of maize from Uganda citing high levels of mycotoxins that
are beyond safety limits.
In a March 5th, 2021 letter, Kello Harsama,
Kenya’s Acting Director-General Agriculture and Food Authority, says that they
have been conducting surveillance on the safety of food exports to Kenya and
that test results for maize imported from Uganda and Tanzania revealed high
levels of mycotoxins.
“Mycotoxins, particularly aflatoxins and fumonisins are known to be
carcinogenic. Over the years, a number of acute and chronic aflatoxin related
illness cases have been recorded in Kenya including deaths,” reads part of the
letter addressed to Pamela Ahago, the Commissioner of Customs Kenya Revenue Authority.
According to the World Health Organisation, mycotoxins are
naturally occurring toxins produced by moulds (fungi) and can be found in food.
The moulds grow on different crops and foodstuffs including cereals, nuts,
spices, dried fruits, apples and others, often under warm and humid conditions.
In his letter, Kello informs Ahago that the Authority has
stopped any further maize imports with immediate effect. “The Republic of Kenya
is however committed to facilitating safe trade with her trading partners and
look forward to working closely with all stakeholders to address the concern,”
further reads the letter.
Kaijuka told URN that the decision by Kenya was unfortunate
but not surprising. “About two weeks back in the Business Journal, Kenya stated
that they were receiving so much maize from Uganda and Tanzania up to six-folds
of what they have ever received during this kind of time. We are now in March,
from January a lot of maize has been going to Kenya from Uganda…a lot on daily
basis, which is okay,” he said.
Kaijuka adds that the unfortunate thing is that the maize, which has been going
to Kenya, was being bought from rural areas by Kenyan traders and transported
by Kenyan trucks. He argues that this process has been over 90 percent informal
and that it should be a concern for Uganda.
//Cue in: “it has been…
Cue out:…also another concern.”//
Kaijuka also said that Kenya’s complaint about mycotoxins is grave and should
be investigated by the government. He however, faulted Kenya for failure to provide
evidence, saying it could be a ploy to give Kenyan farmers a chance to sell
their maize.
//Cue in: “They say one…
Cue out:…they have received.”//
He however hastened to add that this is
a lesson for Uganda to work towards selling good quality maize to Kenya
directly.
//Cue in: “if they say…
Cue out:…for government also.”//
Robert Kasule Ssebunya, Chairperson of the Tourism, Trade and Industry
Committee of parliament agree with Kaijuka, saying Kenya’s complaint could be a
pointer to the post-harvest handling challenges in the country.
//Cue in: “so what we…
Cue out:…harvest it properly.”//
Ssebunya also cites the need for the government to intervene and ensure that maize
exports to Kenya are streamlined so that traders from Kenya do not deal
directly with Ugandan farmers.
//Cue in: “the Kenyans have…
Cue out:…avoided that reason.”//
A recent report by Kenya’s Business Daily indicates that maize imports from
Uganda rose five-fold in January compared to a similar period last year as
traders and millers rushed to bring in Kenya the grain in anticipation of a
shortage.
Data from Kenya’s Ministry of Agriculture indicated that the
volume of maize brought into Kenya went up to 523,000 bags during the review
period from 101,000 in January 2020, an increase of 418 percent.
Uganda has for the past few months been harvesting maize. Kenya serves as a
major market for the country in the East African region. According to the
Business Daily, most stocks from Uganda and Tanzania are supplied by brokers.
