Kenya has decided to lift a ban on Maize imports days after it impulsively tried to kick out Uganda.Kenya Lifts Ban On Maize Imports
Kenya Lifts Ban On Maize Imports
Kenya has decided to lift a ban on Maize imports days after Uganda making loud noise about how they impulsively tried to kick them out.
But there is a catch; the lifting comes strict conditions on exporters following their concern.
Last week, Kenya banned Maize imports from Uganda and Tanzania over safety concerns.
According to the Kenyan government, there was an acute increase in chronic aflatoxin-related illnesses, some of which have resulted in death.
Kenya Lifts Ban On Maize Imports
This followed another ban by Kenya on the importation of poultry and beef products from within and beyond East Africa.
In a statement by the Kenya Ministry of Agriculture, all stakeholders dealing in maize imports must be registered and their consignments must be accompanied by a certificate of conformity on aflatoxin levels with the maximum required levels of 10 parts per billion.
Traders importing maize from Uganda to Kenya will be required to also have a certificate of origin from the counties of produce to present at the border points before they get clearance.
The traders are also supposed to issue details of their warehouses before importation can happen.
Kenya Lifts Ban On Maize Imports
Agriculture Chief Administrative Secretary Lawrence Angolo says the warehouse details are meant to ensure that the maize supplied to Kenya adhered to all standard procedures on food handling and that it was not dried on tarmac roads.
“While we strive to give Kenya safe food by addressing the challenge in the production system, we equally expect our trading partners to trade safe maize as per the East African Community (EAC) standards,” Angolo.
Angolo insists that they will not compromise on the terms set because it is for the safety of consumers.
The ministry urged the regional countries to fast track ratification of EAC- SGS standards on aflatoxin and submit the instruments of certification to the EAC.
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