Export Promotion Council CEO Peter Biwott. [Photo: www.businessdailyafrica.com]
Maize farmers in the North Rift region have been urged to embrace use of modern technology so as to cut on the current high cost of production in the country.
Export Promotion Council (EPC) Chief Executive Officer Peter Biwott says with the coming in of cheaper maize from Uganda due to the free market in the East African Community (EAC), local farmers need to employ new production methods that will enable their products compete with those from outside the country.
"We always have cheap and quality products coming in from outside the country largely because of low production and to ensure we produce competitive products, we must embrace use of modern technology," said Mr. Biwott in Eldoret, Thursday.
The EPC boss further asked farmers in the country to take advantage of free EAC market which he said provides access to a market valued at over Sh150 billion.
He pointed out that currently about 40 per cent, Kenyan exports are within African countries.
"We need to look at the big picture for the EAC which largely benefits Kenyans. Kenyan products are dominating in Uganda and Tanzania market and this is something local farmers need to maximize on," Biwott noted.
Cheap maize from the neighboring Uganda has been flooding the country's market causing a drop in the prices for the locally produced maize.