Kenya 2023 Rice Imports Forecast Raised 42%

Kenya’s rice imports forecast has been raised by 42% this year from an earlier estimate last month, the U.S. Agriculture Department said Friday.

Imports are expected to be 850,000 metric tons this year, compared with an earlier estimate in May of 600, 000 tons, due to large purchases of India rice since import duties were waived for up to 600,000 tons from February until August 6 this year, the USDA said in its grain world markets and trade report.

Import projections for 2024 were also revised upwardly to 800,000 tons compared with 625,000 tons estimated last month as consumption growth far outstrips production, it said.

Kenya imports rice mainly from Pakistan, India, Tanzania, South Korea, and Thailand.

Kenya’s rice production is forecast to rise by 37% to 130,000 tons in the marketing year beginning October 2023 through September 2024 from 95,000 tons in the current marketing year, largely due to expansion in area planted following the commissioning of the Thiba Dam in October 2022, the USDA said in its annual Kenya grain and feed report

This article has been republished from Market Watch