Zambia signs deal to supply Kenya with 540,000 tonnes of white maize
Zambia’s Food Reserve Agency has agreed to supply Kenya’s Baita Trading Limited with up to 540,000 metric tonnes of Grade A white non-GMO maize. The contract will draw on Zambia’s record harvest of more than 5.1 million tonnes, while prices will follow prevailing market rates.
Zambia converts record harvest into regional sales
Zambia’s Food Reserve Agency has signed an agreement with Kenya’s Baita Trading Limited for the export of up to 540,000 metric tonnes of Grade A white non-GMO maize. The contract gives Kenya access to a major regional grain supply while providing Zambia with an outlet for the surplus generated by its largest maize harvest on record.
According to KahawaTungu and Kenyans.co.ke, Zambia produced more than 5.1 million tonnes of maize in the previous season. The bumper crop has left the southern African country seeking additional export markets after covering domestic requirements. Zambia’s government expects overseas sales to generate foreign exchange, support farmers and contribute to economic growth.
The agreement was signed by the FRA and the Kenyan company at the Cabinet Office in Lusaka on September 9, 2026, Kenyans.co.ke reported. FRA Board Chairperson Suresh Desai said the contract reflected confidence in the quality of Zambian agricultural produce. Baita Trading Director Martin Kinoti said the shipment would support regional food security and strengthen economic relations between Zambia and Kenya.
Delivery schedule and prices
The sources differ on the precise delivery structure. KahawaTungu reported that the maize would move to Kenya in five tranches. Kenyans.co.ke said the contract provided for six batches: five shipments of 100,000 tonnes each, delivered every three months, followed by a final 40,000-tonne shipment. Both reports put the total contracted volume at 540,000 tonnes.
Prices have not been fixed publicly and will be determined according to prevailing market rates, according to KahawaTungu. That exposes the value of each shipment to changes in regional maize prices during the delivery period. The staggered schedule could also spread demand for transport, storage and border handling instead of concentrating the full volume in a single movement.
The physical delivery will be a substantial logistics operation. Moving 540,000 tonnes from landlocked Zambia to Kenya requires coordinated inland transport and grain handling across regional corridors. For millers and traders, the timing of individual batches will be important because it will determine when additional supplies reach the Kenyan market and how quickly they can ease shortages.
Kenya widens its regional sourcing
Kenya is increasing efforts to secure maize from neighboring producers as it supplements domestic grain supplies. Kenyans.co.ke reported that the government has also sought to expand agricultural trade with Uganda under the African Continental Free Trade Area. Agriculture Cabinet Secretary Mutahi Kagwe said Uganda could supply part of Kenya’s maize needs, but raised concerns about aflatoxin levels in grain crossing the border and called for better drying controls.
The Zambian contract specifically covers Grade A non-GMO maize, making compliance with quality and food-safety requirements central to execution. Reliable testing, drying and storage will matter throughout the route, particularly because deliveries are expected to extend across several batches.
Production ambitions and scrutiny
Zambia is targeting annual maize output of 10 million tonnes under its Grow Zambia agenda, almost twice the more than 5.1 million tonnes harvested in the previous season. Deputy Secretary to the Cabinet for Finance and Economic Development Siazongo Siakalenge urged Zambian traders to identify more foreign buyers and broaden the market for locally produced grain.
The deal has also attracted questions in Kenya about the role of a private importer. KahawaTungu cited an unnamed government official who asked why a private company was importing maize rather than the National Cereals and Produce Board and alleged links between the company’s owners and senior officials. The report did not provide evidence supporting that allegation. Execution of the contract, including pricing, quality control and the delivery timetable, will therefore face commercial as well as public scrutiny.
