Wheat farmers face disaster over row with millers

Wheat farmers are dealing with potential monetary wreck as large-scale millers dilly-dally in buying their produce.

Failure to buy locally-produced wheat inventory has left a whole lot of smallholder farmers holding 321,000 baggage of wheat and mounting money owed.

This is regardless of the directive by Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe that National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) accumulate the wheat from farmers beginning March 4. As at finish of final week, Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA) director basic Bruno Linyiru confirmed that 7,200 baggage of wheat had been delivered to NCPB by farmers.

According to NCPB appearing Managing director Samuel Karogo, farner’s will obtain their proceeds after the identical has been paid for by the millers.

“NCPB is receiving wheat on behalf of the millers. Once millers pay for the quantity they collect, the money will be deposited to a special account and thereafter farmers will be paid. The farmers will be paid between 14 and 21 days after millers pay the amount,” he stated.

Large-scale millers underneath their umbrella physique – Cereal Millers Association (CMA) have been compelled to refute current media stories that they’ve prioritised imports over native wheat to the detriment of the farmers. However, Narok Wheat Farmers Association final week acknowledged that there isn’t any knowledge indicating millers have purchased wheat from small growers.

The affiliation chairman Stanley Koonyo confirmed that every one domestically produced wheat is saved by aggregators warehouses and at farm granaries.

“No farmer or aggregator can confirm to have sold wheat produced in 2024 to the millers. What they (millers) have in their warehouses is not locally produced wheat,” he stated whereas addressing media on the Narok NCPB warehouses.

Koonyo warned that the delay by large-scale millers to buy native produce will threaten small-scale farmers’ monetary stability as majority had borrowed cash from native monetary intermediaries to finance farming. “If local produce is not purchased smallholder farmers will face difficulties in meeting their financial obligations and equally to large extent frustrate food production efforts in the country,” he added.

Nutritious wheat merchandise

But CMA chief government Paloma Fernandes in an announcement to media homes acknowledged that millers stay dedicated to supporting native wheat farmers whereas making certain that 40 million of their customers entry inexpensive and nutritious wheat merchandise. “The claims that millers prioritise imports over local wheat are unfounded and misleading. The data clearly shows that millers have purchased nearly all available local wheat, with imports being essential to bridge the country’s wheat deficit,” stated Paroma.

While millers throughout the East African area pay a ten per cent responsibility on imported wheat, solely Kenyan millers are required to pay premium costs to native farmers earlier than being allowed to import.

Kagwe urged all farmers to ship their wheat produce to NCPB shops throughout the nation and the identical shall be paid at agreed costs. Speaking after assembly farmers and aggregators at Narok NCPB depot just lately Linyiru confirmed that obtainable knowledge signifies growers are holding 321,000 baggage of their shops.

He stated that they had instructed all farmers to ship their produce to all NCPB depots and be paid on agreed costs of Sh5,300 and Sh5,200 for Grade 1 for Grade 2 respectively.

“Equally, the government is vigilant to ensure no imported wheat is delivered to the NCPB stores. Government’s priority is to ensure produce held by local farmers is first bought,” stated Linyiru. The nationwide wheat demand stands at 2.2 million to 4 million tonnes yearly with native farmers producing about 8 per cent of complete consumption whereas 92 per cent is imported.

Kenya’s annual wheat manufacturing was 135,000 tonnes in 2023 towards a consumption of two,200,000 tonnes which has been rising within the final 5 years.

The deficit of about 1.9 to 2.2 million tonnes has been stuffed by imports majorly from Russia, Ukraine and European Union. “The total local wheat harvested from July 2024 to March 2025 is 1,710,358 of 90 kg bags and millers have mopped up 1,388,762 bags from August to date. The total available wheat with farmers and marketing agents is about 321,596 bags, the bulk being in Upper Narok with 130,828 bags. The remaining wheat to be harvested in Upper Narok and Timau 2 is projected at 80,000 bags,” added Linyiru.

In the final eight months, he defined that the overall quantity of wheat imported reached 1,407,129 MT (15,634,767 baggage) towards a projected allocation of three,246,000 MT (36 million baggage).

Paroma clarified that over the previous 20 years, millers have persistently bought all domestically produced wheat at premium costs to help and incentivize manufacturing. However, she added Kenya’s wheat output has declined and stays inadequate to fulfill demand.

National consumption

“The country produces only 7 per cent of its annual requirement—approximately 1.7 million bags (153,000 metric tonnes) —while national consumption stands at 24 million bags (2.1 million tonnes). Additionally, Kenya’s wheat harvest is spread over eight months (July to March), meaning supply is not readily available all at once,” acknowledged Paroma.

Between July 2024 and February 2025, a complete of 1,360,607 tonnes of wheat has already been imported. These imports have been accepted underneath the East African Community (EAC) responsibility remission framework.