August 25, 2009

Kenya might only manage to produce about 15 million 90-kilogram bags of corn during the long-rains season, 5 million fewer than the projected 20 million bags, Chief of Party at the Kenya Maize Development Programme Steve Collins told Kenyan radio station Capital FM Monday (August 24).

"I know it's not good news and people don't like to hear it, but we need to have that reality check that we will have a major deficit of grain," Collins said.

Long-rains (April-June) crops account for more than 85 percent of Kenya's national production. The situation is being compounded by the fact that Kenya is no longer receiving grain from Uganda, which now prefers to export to Southern Sudan where prices are favourable, Collins said.

It wasn't immediately possible to reach Collins or the chief executive of the Kenya Cereal Growers' Association, David Nyameino, for comment Monday.