Relief for Kenyans as Gov’t Reduces Unga Prices from Sh230 to Sh100

The price of maize flour will from Monday reduce to Sh100 for a two-kilogram packet, Sh52 for one kilogram, and Sh30 for a half-kilogram pack following intervention by the government.

On Monday, the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries, Livestock & Cooperative announced it had inked a deal with millers to bring down the cost of flour which has been retailing at up to Sh230 per two-kilogram packet to Sh100 over the next four weeks.

“The Ministry of Agriculture shall subsidize the price of maize flour being produced/sold by the miller for a period of four (4) weeks from the date of this contract,” reads part of the agreement the ministry has inked with millers.

"It is agreed between the parties that the ministry shall deploy market surveillance teams to ensure that sifted maize flour is sold at the maximum recommended retail price stated. The market price of maize (per 90kg bag) as at the date of this contract is in the range of Ksh5,800 and Ksh6,000. Based on this market price, MOALFC will compensate the miller for each unit sold.”

A 50-kilogram bag of flour will go for Sh2,250, Sh440 for a 10-kilogram bag, and Sh250 for five kilograms.

The four-week subsidy comes three weeks after Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya issued a directive suspending the levies on imported maize in a bid to lower the price of flour.

But United Grain Millers Association (UGMA), an umbrella organization for both small and large-scale millers, termed the move as insignificant, saying it would reduce the cost of flour by just Sh2.