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{
    "id": 1522665,
    "url": "https://info.mzalendo.com/api/v0.1/hansard/entries/1522665/?format=api",
    "text_counter": 109,
    "type": "speech",
    "speaker_name": "Mwea, UDA",
    "speaker_title": "Hon. Mary Maingi",
    "speaker": null,
    "content": " Hon. Speaker, pursuant to the provisions of Standing Order 44(2)(c), I rise to request for a Statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives regarding importation of rice into the country. Hon. Speaker, rice is the third most consumed cereal crop in the country after maize and wheat. A study conducted by the Sustainable Trade Initiative on Mwea Rice Growers Multipurpose in 2020 showed that about 80 per cent of rice grown in Kenya is from irrigation schemes. These schemes are established by the Government, and include the Mwea Irrigation Scheme, which as per the study, accounted for more than 70 per cent of the rice produce. However, over the years, domestic rice production has not been able to meet market demand, necessitating importation of rice to bridge the deficit and meet the market demand. There have been indications that KNTC intends to import rice into the country in the near future. Considering the investments that have been made to revitalise irrigation schemes in the country, including Mwea Irrigation Scheme, so as to boost rice production, it is important that importation of rice by the KNTC be structured in a manner that promotes local rice production instead of encouraging over-reliance on imported rice. It is against this background that I request for a statement from the Chairperson of the Departmental Committee on Trade, Industry and Cooperatives on the following: 1. The total quantity of rice that the Government intends to import as part of the measures to supplement domestic production and bridge the deficit in the local demand. 2. The total annual production of rice in the last financial year compared to the local annual consumption projections. 3. Measures in place to support farmers within the rice growing areas like Mwea to increase rice production for the country to cut down on over-reliance on imported rice. 4. Steps being taken to cushion rice farmers in the country from likely unfair market competition that could arise from saturation of the market by imported rice. Thank you, Hon. Speaker."
}