×
App Icon
The Standard e-Paper
Join Thousands Daily
★★★★ - on Play Store
Download App

Kenya needs protective legislations to curb unfair trade practices in maize industry

A farmer inspects his maize farm at Lurambi in Kakamega county on June 16, 2018. Farmers expect high yield of maize following adequate rain this year. BY BENJAMIN SAKWA

The progressive crumbling of agricultural sector in Kenya is a symptom of inadequacy of protective legislative and strategic policy measures to govern unfair trade practices.

Hoarding, price distortion, illegal purchase and illegal importation are rampant. For a long time, prices of sensitive agricultural products like maize, wheat and rice have been determined by brokers as opposed to Government incentives. However, contrary to arguments by free-trade economists that Kenya is a liberal market economy, prices for these sensitive agricultural products being volatile and vulnerable to fluctuations should be regulated for food security purposes.

Get Full Access for Ksh299/Week.
Uncover the stories others won’t tell. Subscribe now for exclusive access
  • Unlimited access to all premium content
  • Uninterrupted ad-free browsing experience
  • Mobile-optimized reading experience
  • Weekly Newsletters
  • MPesa, Airtel Money and Cards accepted
Already a subscriber? Log in