For the first time in history, the price of maize flour in Kenya has surpassed Ksh.200, implying that the bulk of Kenyans are still struggling to make ends meet.
In mid-May, a two-kilogram packet of Unga cost Ksh.150, but it has now risen 38.6% to Ksh.208.
The price of a package of Jogoo brand is Ksh.204, Pembe is Ksh.208, and Ajab is Ksh.206.
Premium brands such as Amaize and Hostess now cost Ksh.204 and Ksh.220, respectively, compared to Sh167 a week ago.
This is the highest rate in Kenya’s history, signaling the start of what might be a long period of slow growth due to high inflation.
It might also be mirrored by rain that arrives later than expected.
Millers have warned the prices will continue rising in the coming days due to lack of enough stocks.
Currently, a 90kg bag of maize flour is retailing at Ksh.6,500 from Ksh.5,200.
In December last year, a 90-kilo bag of maize shot to Ksh.4,500 from Ksh.2,800 due to tightening supply in the market.
The government has been accusing farmers of holding onto 85 percent of the total stock of maize in the country, as they anticipated better prices in the future.
This represents 8.5 million bags of maize stocks out of 10.1 million bags of 90Kgs, which has left millers facing a shortage of maize.
This prompted a warning from Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya that the country would run out of maize when he announced his plans to allow maize imports from outside the East African Community (EAC), for the first time since 2017.
“We are going to run out of maize in the next few months and to control the rising cost of flour, we need to import the produce,” said Munya.
High cost of living has been witnessed across the world against the backdrop of soaring inflation due to the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine.
Inflation in Kenya for the month of May jumped to 7.1 percent from 6.4 percent in April.
