Kenya is set to import up to 25 million bags of maize to address a domestic shortage, marking a significant shift after a season of reportedly high harvests.

• Kenya plans to allow private traders to import 25 million bags of maize.
• Agriculture and Livestock Development Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe announced the decision.
• The imports are necessary due to drought in key maize-growing regions like Uasin Gishu and Trans Nzoia, despite previous reports of a record harvest of approximately 71 million bags.

Informal cross-border trade into Kenya, particularly for essential commodities, reached Sh573 million in the year to June 2025, driven by domestic shortages and strong demand.

• Rice, sugar, and milk accounted for over a quarter of these uncaptured imports.
• The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) conducted a survey revealing these figures, highlighting the role of informal trade in food security.
• Commodities like rice, sugar, and milk were imported informally to supplement local production deficits caused by factors like drought and production constraints.

Informal imports into Kenya, valued at Sh573 million in the year to June 2025, were heavily dominated by essential commodities like rice, sugar, and milk, driven by domestic shortages and strong demand.

• Rice (Sh63 million), sugar (Sh45 million), and milk (Sh37 million) constituted over a quarter of these uncaptured regional imports.
• The Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS) conducted a survey highlighting the role of informal trade in food security.
• These informal imports often bypass official channels, contributing to revenue loss for the government and market distortions, particularly affecting the sugar industry.