Thursday, June 22, 2023 – Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mithika Linturi yesterday contradicted his Trade counterpart Moses Kuria over the importation of sugar.
Appearing before the Senate, Linturi emphasised that he had not issued permits to the Kenya National Trading Corporation (KNTC) to import 200,000 metric tonnes of sugar in April.
The CS instead explained that his ministry had only approved the importation of 180,000 metric tonnes at the time. He insisted that a total of 280,000 metric tonnes had been procured in December last year of which 100,000 metric tonnes already arrived – leaving a balance of 180,000 metric tonnes.
“I am the one who gives permits to any importer to bring sugar and I have not given any permit to KNTC to bring 200,00 metric tonnes of sugar.”
“I maintain that the sugar I approved was 280,000 metric tonnes. I gazetted 100,000 tonnes on December 22, 2022, and the rest was gazetted on May 2. There is no other sugar coming to Kenya outside COMESA as duty-free other than what I have mentioned,” Linturi stated.
Linturi’s response contradicted that of Kuria who hours earlier had told the committee that KNTC was preparing to import an additional 200,000 metric tonnes of duty-free sugar – raising the total imports to 300,000 metric tonnes.
While making his appearance, Kuria explained KNTC’s role in the importation of goods including sugar, fertiliser, beans, and oil.
He noted that the corporation was dealing with the importation of fertilisers, rice, beans as well as cooking oil and was gearing up to receive another 200,000 metric tonnes of sugar.
The Trade CS added that KNTC relied on internally generated revenue to finance its operations.
KNTC was allowed to import 200,000 tonnes of sugar, 150,000 tonnes of rice and 80, 000 tonnes of beans as duty-free which was expected to ease the cost of commodities in the country.
In March, Kuria selected 500,000 shops to sell the imported duty-free sugar alongside four other commodities.
.jpg)
0 Comments