Address maize flour crisis before it deepens

[Photo: Courtesy]

Mid last year, a serious maize shortage hit the country, causing the price of maize flour to shoot through the roof. There was an outcry which, coupled with 2017 being an election year, galvanised the authorities into action.

The Government acted by rolling out a subsidy and pegged the price of a 2-kilogram packet of maize flour at Sh90. If the maize shortage had been the creation of ubiquitous cartels, that put paid to their schemes. But even as the Government gave the subsidy, there was a timeline of December 31, 2017 for its expiry.