Kenya lifts ban on Maize imports from Uganda, Tanzania

The Kenyan government has lifted a ban on maize imports from Ugandan and Tanzanian maize which was announced last week.

Lifting of the ban however comes with strict conditions on exporters in a bid to avoid the cancer-causing aflatoxin on imported maize.

According to an article published by Business Daily Africa a Kenyan Newspaper, the Ministry of Agriculture said on Wednesday that all stakeholders dealing in maize imports would be required to be registered, the consignments coming in must be accompanied with certificate of conformity on aflatoxin levels and that traders have to issue details of their warehouses.

“The certificate of conformity should indicate that the aflatoxin levels comply with the maximum required levels of 10 parts per billion” the new regulations how.

Agriculture Chief Administrative Secretary Lawrence Angolo in his statement said that the move is aimed at addressing the safety of consumers and that the country will not be compromise on that.

He added that the details on warehouse would help in ensuring that the maize supplied to Kenya adhered to all standard procedure on food handling and that it was not dried on roads (tarmac).

“While we strive to give Kenya safe food by addressing the challenge in productions system, we equally expect our trading partners to trade safe maize as per the East African community standards,” said Mr Angolo.

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.

Traders importing maize from Uganda to Kenya will be required to also have certificate of origin from the countries of produce before they get clearance at the border points.

Kenya last week banned maize imports from Uganda citing high levels of aflatoxin in the grain, setting stage for trade war between the two neighboring states.

Via https://www.businessdailyafrica.com/bd