Africa Newsletter 07-17-20

East Africa Update

Kenya Imports Continue Ahead Of September Harvest

Kenyan millers and traders will continue to import maize over the next two months as the demand for the grain remains. Kenya currently consumes 4.2million 90 kg bags per month and the current price in Nairobi between KES 2,800 and KES 3,100 per 90 kg bag has bought pressure onto the market.

The current price for a 2kg pack of maize flour is between KES 110-125. Soybeans are trading at KES 43 per kg in the Nairobi area.

Uganda Market Update

The central region is currently experiencing heavy rains and this has slowed down the drying process for most of the maize growers. Maize is currently trading at UGX 800 per kg in the Greater Kampala area but there is more grain expected to enter the market over the next few weeks.

Maize bran is trading at UGX 550 per kg, maize flour at UGX 2,000 per kg and soybeans UGX 1,350 per kg in the Greater Kampala area.

Tanzania Relies Too Much On Wheat Imports

The heavy dependence on wheat imports will bring serious implications on the country’s food security in case of a price hike of the grain according to the International Institute of Tropical Agriculture reported in The Citizen.

Tanzania imports approximately 1.1million tons of milling wheat per year and has imported wheat worth USD 289 million a year between 2010 and 2017 according to the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) as it relies on the major wheat exporting nations that include Russia, Ukraine, Australia, and the United States.

Wheat remains the fourth most consumed crop after maize, cassava, and rice and there has been a push to create a substitute for wheat in the form of cassava which would be a cheaper flour alternative.

Talks Over Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) Water Continue

The Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam and its water flow from the Blue Nile River continue between the affected countries Ethiopia, Sudan, and Egypt after failed mediation by the United States Administration. The talks are now being led by the African Union Chairman South African President Cyril Ramaphosa and have tried to determine whether Ethiopia can begin filling the dam without affecting the flows of water to Egypt and Sudan, the two nations that are heavily dependent on the Blue Nile.

The project remains contentious in the region and Ethiopia has stood their position that they will go ahead of filling the dam after ten years in the planning and numerous threats from Egypt on its construction. The GERD will have a capacity of 6,000 megawatts of electricity and has cost Ethiopia 4.5 billion dollars.

For updates on restarting the global trade please see our report Hot Commodities at panxchange.com/hot-commodities