Kenyan Government Increases Wheat Price to Sh5,100 Amid Farmer Demands
The Kenyan government has increased the price of locally produced wheat to Sh5,100 per 90-kilogramme bag. The new price is a result of consultations between the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), cereal growers, and millers. This comes after farmers in Narok County demanded better prices or threatened to stage demonstrations.
The government's decision follows an extensive cost-of-production study by the Tegemeo Institute, which recommended a price of Sh5,378 per 90-kilogramme bag for wheat. However, the new price announced by the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development is Sh350 higher than last year's price but still below the recommended price.
Farmers have expressed their disappointment with the government's decision, arguing that it does not reflect the true cost of production. They claim that private millers are buying maize at a lower price than wheat, which makes it uneconomical for farmers to continue producing.