Wheat Import Delays Threaten Kenya's Chapati Prices

Kenya's chapati vendors and small food businesses may face higher costs due to delays in wheat import approvals. Global wheat prices are currently lower than they were last year, but the local milling industry is struggling with C60 import approvals, which allow millers to bring in specified quantities of wheat for processing into flour.

Millers have committed to buying local wheat at Sh5,100 per 90kg bag, up from Sh4,750. However, some approvals are still pending, adding storage, demurrage, and financing costs that will be passed on to consumers.

A chapati vendor who uses two 2kg packets of flour daily may see their daily flour bill increase by Sh20 if a packet rises by just Sh10. Over a month, this adds up to Sh600 in additional costs for the vendor.