August 17, 2007

Kenya revises up 2007 corn production

Kenya has revised up its corn production for this year to 31 million 90-kilogramme bags from 27 million bags, a ministry of agriculture official said Thursday (August 16).

However, he said the 31 million bags represent a 3 percent decline in production from the 32 million bags produced last year.

The official attributed this revised higher output figure to favourable weather conditions in some of the corn-growing areas, an aggressive government campaign to promote improved corn-growing methods and higher prices paid to growers, a factor that has contributed to an increased acreage under corn.

"Better measures have been put in place by our extension service officers in the fields," the official said.

On Tuesday, Kenya's Minister for Agriculture, Kipruto arap Kirwa, said the government has released KES500 million (US$7.54 million) to farmers for their corn delivered to the state-run National Cereals and Produce Board during the last season.

Corn is staple food for Kenya's population of around 36 million people and is grown mainly in the west of the Rift Valley region where 80 percent of the country's corn comes from.