Yellow maize:Answer to animal feeds cost.
Millers urged to to discontinue use of white maize and instead use yellow maize
In Summary
• With white maize, animal feed millers have to compete with those milling for humans
• Strict importation rules for maize are also a hurdle for them
Association of Kenya Feeds Manufacturers secretary general Martin Kinoti he says that farmers have been complaining about the high cost of animal feeds in the country.
Image: Dennis Dibondo
Farmers have been complaining about the high cost of animal feeds. The main reason is because of the prices of maize that make up to 20 per cent of animal feeds.
Martin Kinoti, the secretary general of Association of Kenya Feeds Manufacturers, says animal feed millers are forced to compete with maize millers for human consumption and they probably end up losing the battle.
“The solution to this problem is for animal feeds millers to discontinue use of white maize and instead use yellow maize,” Kinoti said.
However, yellow maize is not available in the country and animal feeds millers are forced to import.
Kinoti said the importation is limited because of Bio Safety Act, which prohibits use of genetically modified foods.
“Unfortunately most yellow maize produced in most countries are genetically modified, except from Ukraine and Mexico, hence the two dictate prices they want to sell at,” he said.
This leads millers to incur a lot to import maize and have to roll down the cost to the farmer.
Kinoti says to import maize, one requires a special gazette notice as the maize has suspended duty of 50 per cent.
He says the government should allow regular importation without having the requirement of gazette notice for all animal feed millers without conditions.