President William Ruto’s directive to cut the cost of maize production is set to take effect in September, with the government announcing a 50 per cent reduction in the price of certified maize seed and a further cut in the cost of subsidised fertiliser.
Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said the government will meet half the cost of certified maize seed, reducing the farmer’s price from Sh300 to Sh150 per kilogramme. The intervention is expected to target approximately 40 million kilogrammes of maize seed, translating to a government subsidy of about KSh6 billion.
The move implements President Ruto’s announcement that maize seed prices would be reduced by half from September as the government shifts its agricultural support strategy from subsidising consumption to lowering the cost of production.
Under the new arrangement, farmers will pay Sh300 for a 2kg pack of maize seed, down from Sh600. A 10kg pack will cost Sh1,500 instead of Sh3,000, while the price of a 25kg pack will fall from Sh7,500 to Sh3,750.
Kagwe said the cheaper inputs are intended to cushion farmers from drought-related losses while encouraging them to maintain production despite difficult weather conditions.
“The Government will meet 50 per cent of the cost of certified maize seed,” Kagwe said, adding that farmers would access the subsidised seed and fertiliser through Government-designated distribution channels.
The government is also reducing the price of subsidised fertiliser from Sh2,500 to Sh2,000 for a 50kg bag. The measure builds on the National Fertilizer Subsidy Programme introduced under the Ruto administration.
When the programme began in 2022, the Ministry of Agriculture noted that a 50kg bag of fertiliser cost about Sh7,500 before the subsidy brought the price down to Sh2,500.
Since then, approximately 33.55 million 50kg bags of subsidised fertiliser have been distributed to about 1.98 million farmers, with government support estimated at Sh78.79 billion.
The latest intervention comes as Kenya confronts the threat of a maize shortage following drought and other climate-related challenges affecting major food-producing regions.
Kagwe said the government has also begun preparations to import 25 million 90kg bags of maize to bridge an anticipated deficit. Kenya consumes approximately 75 million bags annually, while reduced harvests are expected to leave a shortfall of nearly 25 million bags.
The planned imports are intended to ensure consumers have adequate supplies while the input subsidy supports farmers to increase production during subsequent planting seasons.
Government data indicates that previous agricultural interventions have contributed to increased maize production. Output rose from 34.3 million 90kg bags in 2022 to 73 million bags in 2025, while maize imports declined by more than 66.5 per cent over the same period.
The government now hopes lower input costs will sustain that production trajectory despite worsening climate pressures.
