Government assures Kenyans unga prices will remain stable amid supply concerns

The government has allayed fears of a possible increase in Unga prices, assuring Kenyans that strategic grain reserves are sufficient to sustain market stability.

According to Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe, the Ministry of Agriculture has taken proactive steps to ensure the price of maize flour remains steady despite rising concerns over market fluctuations and supply constraints.

“There should be no panic about the price of Unga going up, it is not going to go up. We are going to ensure it doesn't go up by releasing the strategic grain reserves that we have. We have got sufficient strategic grain reserves,” Kagwe said during a press briefing on Monday.

The government had announced plans to import 5.5 million bags of yellow maize to ease the burden on white maize, which has seen a significant price surge of 26.47 per cent since December 2024.

“The government has authorised the importation of 5.5 million bags of yellow maize to help stabilise the price of unga and cushion consumers from rising food costs,” the government said.

To make these imports affordable, the government will provide a 50 per cent duty waiver for at least one year, a move expected to ease pressure on millers and ultimately consumers.

Millers, however, have attributed the recent spike in maize flour prices to dwindling local maize stocks, which have forced them to turn to neighbouring countries such as Tanzania for grain imports. They have also expressed concern over heightened competition from animal feed manufacturers, which is further tightening maize availability.

According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), the average retail price of a two-kilogram packet of fortified maize flour climbed to Sh169.41 in April 2025, up from Sh165.05 in March, reflecting a 2.64 per cent increase.

This marks the highest retail price since February 2024, when the same packet retailed at Sh172.75. Compared to October 2024, households are now paying Sh24.77 more per packet, which translates to a 17.13 per cent rise.

Industry players say the elevated maize prices have strained their cash flow, with many operating on reduced production schedules due to limited grain availability.

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