Tom Mogusu
25 April 2008
Nairobi — The Government has warned of hard times as prices of basic foodstuffs are set to rise by 100 per cent.
The Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Agriculture, Mr Romano Kiome, warned that consumers should expect to spend more on food due to factors beyond the Government's intervention.
Kiome said the increase is a result of decreased production and a rise in the cost of inputs such as fuel, labour and fertiliser. "We are in one of the worst global crisis in as far as food security is concerned," he said.
"We are all very worried because we do not have the full answers, though we know that the high food prices were triggered by high fuel prices."
The Government warns of a looming shortage of maize due to adverse weather and high cost of farm inputs. File by Picture
According to the Kenya Food Situation Analysis, a report released on Thursday by the Government, the crisis has been compounded by thousands of farmers displaced by the recent post-election chaos.
Kiome said the country is likely to experience an acute maize shortage as early as August this year due to the high fertiliser prices and the effects of the poll violence.
"The maize prices are likely to skyrocket and the commodity may become inaccessible to the poor," warns the report. The Eastern Africa Grain Council launched the report in Nairobi.
The meeting was called by the Council to deliberate on the food status.
Kiome, however, said a number of intervention measures were in place to reduce the burden of high food prices on the poor.
He said one of the measures includes an input support system to ensure low cost of production and consumer prices.
The Government has also distributed fertiliser, maize and bean seeds to farmers.
The Government is also asking parastatals to buy fertiliser from commercial sources for the farmers.
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