Kenya Set To Import 500,000 Tonnes Of Duty-Free Rice
The government has approved duty-free imports of 500,000 metric tons of Grade 1 Milled White Rice till December 31, 2025.
In a Kenya Gazette notification dated July 28, 2025, National Treasury Cabinet Secretary John Mbadi stated that the rice will be subject to food safety regulations and certification.
“It is notified for the general information of the public that, pursuant to section 114 (2) of the East African Community Custums Management Act, 304, as read with item 20 of Part I of the Fifth Schedule to the Act, the Cabinet Secretary for the National Treasury and Economic Planning, upon recommendation by the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture and Livestock Development, directs that 500.000 metric tonnes of Grade 1 Milled White Rice be imported into Kenya duty free on or before the 31st December, 2025,” the notice read in part.
The notice stated that each consignment of rice must meet international and Kenyan food/rice standards.
DUTY-FREE RICE IMPORTS ANNOUNCED
— Ministry of Agriculture & Livestock Development (@kilimoKE) July 29, 2025
The Kenya Gazette notice dated 28th July 2025 allows duty-free importation of 500,000 metric tonnes of Grade 1 Milled White Rice by 31st December 2025, subject to food safety standards and certification.#BETAKILIMO pic.twitter.com/EmtsaLuI6k
Furthermore, it must be accompanied by a Certificate of Conformity from the Kenya Bureau of Standards.
Rice is often classified according to its length, color, and processing method.
Milled white rice is rice that has had the husk, bran, and germ removed during the milling process.
This technique produces a bright white, polished grain with a softer texture and milder flavor, but with a lesser nutritional content than brown rice.
While milled white rice is quicker to cook and has a longer shelf life than brown rice, nutrient loss during milling reduces its nutritional value.
Kenya is a major importer of rice. Kenya imported 937,098 tonnes of rice in 2023, spending Sh54.7 billion to meet domestic demand, according to media sources.
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This is despite the fact that the country produces rice, with local output falling far short of total demand.
Ephantus Kimotho, Kenya’s Principal Secretary for Irrigation, declared in February that the country will stop importing rice in 2032 once all active irrigation projects are completed.
This Rice Bill seeking to control milling and trading of rice came through senate last year Sept
— Shoba Gatimu (@shobanes) July 30, 2025
They tried to introduce a price control bill where the CS could regulate essentials like rice. In May, Mwea farmers were stuck with unsold rice. They have now imported 500,000 tonnes https://t.co/3mLybcdQRh pic.twitter.com/moWhHWKmtm
The country has a projected yearly rice shortfall of 770,000 metric tonnes, with families’ expanding demand for the popular staple greatly outweighing domestic supplies.
According to data from the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics (KNBS), Kenya’s annual rice consumption exceeds one million metric tonnes, with a production potential of roughly 230,000 tonnes.
Kenya Set To Import 500,000 Tonnes Of Duty-Free Rice
