“Test results for maize imported from Uganda and Tanzania have revealed high levels of mycotoxins that are consistently beyond safety limits,” he said. These poisons are known to cause cancer.
Analysts now say the ban will cause a shortage even as it pits Kenya against its neighbours in what is likely to cause another trade war.
Mr Humphrey Wafula, an agribusiness researcher, says Kenyans face drastic increases in the price of maize unless the government finds alternative sources, considering Uganda and Tanzania are major suppliers.
Safety checks
“If you ban maize coming in from two major sources, then you should allow maize that passes safety checks to come in from other countries, otherwise you will have a problem containing the rise of maize prices,” Mr Wafula notes.
The East African
Monday March 08 2021
The drivers of cargo trucks from Tanzania, ferrying tonnes of maize into Kenya, await offloading outside the Mombasa Maize Millers Factory in this photo taken on September 13, 2020. PHOTO | KEVIN ODIT | NMG
Summary
The Kenyan authority noted that over the years, acute and chronic aflatoxin-related illness cases have been recorded, with some resulting in deaths.
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Dar es Salaam,
The Tanzanian government on Saturday said it hasn’t received official communication from Kenya on the decision to ban maize imports.
This followed an internal letter by Kenya’s Agriculture and Food Authority, communicating the decision to the commissioner of customs at the Kenya Revenue Authority (KRA).