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Tuesday, August 2, 2022 –Agriculture Principal Secretary, Francis Owino, has blamed the scarcity and high prices of maize flour to the existing agreement between millers and their retailers.
Addressing this matter on Monday August 1 following increased pressure from members of the public on why the little available flour was still retailing at sh 200, the PS argued that major maize millers in the country are shying from selling their products to supermarkets and other retailers due to the existing payment agreement.
In his statement, Mr. Owino revealed that when millers supply their products to retailers, it takes not less than 45-days to get paid; what millers want reviewed downwards.
On that note, government has urged retailers to urgently reduce the payment period from 45-days to around two days to allow the supply to resume normalcy.
“Our millers are not able to supply flour to the supermarkets because of the 45 days contractual arrangement. Our plea is for the two parties to reflect and consider that contractual agreement to align with the commitments of government,” Mr. Owino explained.
And while speaking on the same issue, Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Peter Munya assured millers that the State will be releasing their funds in 24-hour period but warned that all millers hoarding the commodity to cause the artificial shortage will be punished by law.
He added that most of them risk losing their trading licenses if they do not adhere to the recent presidential directive of selling the 2-kilogram unga product at a subsidised price.
A spot check by Homenews.co.ke confirmed that the unga product is not available on shelves countrywide.
