Kenya’s Rice Farmers Alarmed by Duty-Free Import Window

In Summary

• Kenya opens six-month duty-free rice import window from July 1, 2025.
• Move aims to plug 200,000-tonne supply gap amid rising demand.
• Farmers in Mwea and Nyatike fear market collapse due to cheap imports.
• Gains from 800,000-tonne 2024 harvest now at risk.
• Delayed payments and lack of price protections worsen situation.
• Government promises subsidies and irrigation support to farmers.

Kenyan rice farmers are facing growing uncertainty after the government opened a six-month duty-free rice import window beginning July 1, 2025. The policy, announced by the Ministry of Agriculture on July 29, is meant to address the country’s rice shortage by allowing imports without duty under the East African Community Customs Management Act.

According to the Agriculture and Food Authority (AFA), Kenya consumed approximately 1 million tonnes of rice in 2024, while local farmers produced only 800,000 tonnes—leaving a 200,000-tonne gap. The new import policy aims to stabilize local rice prices and meet consumer demand, especially in urban centers.

But for farmers in key rice-producing regions like Mwea and Nyatike, the move has triggered concern. They fear a flood of cheaper imports—particularly from countries like Pakistan and Thailand—could undercut local prices and wipe out profits.

“We’ve worked hard to boost yields, but imports could collapse our market,” said Peter Ochar, a Nyatike farmer who harvested six tonnes per hectare in 2024.

In Mwea, where rice typically sells for KSh 100 per kilogram, farmers say they cannot compete with imported rice priced as low as KSh 70 per kilo. The Kenya National Farmers Federation estimates that over 16,000 farmers could suffer losses if no price protections are put in place.

Agriculture Principal Secretary Dr. Kipronoh Ronoh defended the policy, stating it’s necessary to balance affordability for consumers while still supporting farmers.

“We are bridging the 200,000-tonne deficit while expanding irrigation and offering subsidies to farmers,” he said during a briefing in Nairobi.

The government has allocated KSh 28 million for certified seed and fertilizer support in 2025 to improve productivity. However, persistent delays in payments from state buyers like the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) remain a major grievance for farmers.

“Timely payments would help us reinvest, but now we face cheap imports on top of that,” said Gorrety Omondi, a rice farmer from Nyatike.

To cushion farmers, the AFA plans to strengthen cooperatives and improve market linkages. The duty-free import window is set to run until December 31, 2025, after which the policy will be reviewed to assess its impact on local rice production.

Under the National Rice Development Strategy, the government aims to boost output to 846,000 tonnes by 2030. Authorities are encouraging farmers to adopt high-yield, disease-resistant varieties and improve irrigation to remain competitive.

As imports begin to land, farmers brace for an uncertain season—hoping their efforts in the fields will still yield fair returns.