Serbia is seeking to export wheat to Kenya amid a looming shortage in the wake of the Russia – Ukraine war.
According to Business Daily, Serbian ambassador to Kenya Dargan Zupanjeva said the European country has since held talks with millers and the Eastern Africa Grain Council (EAGC) over the same.
Serbia is seeking to export some 150,000 tonnes of wheat to Kenya.
“We want to see if Serbia can step in to fill the supplies from Russia and Ukraine by exporting wheat to Kenya to avoid a supply crisis that Kenya could face in the coming months,” said Zupanjeva.
Serbia is among top wheat producers in the world, ranking among the top 50. Kenya relies on wheat coming in from Ukraine and Russia.
However, following the war between the two countries, local millers hardly access wheat from the countries following the closure of ports along this shipping corridor.
Other East African countries like Tanzania and Uganda have indicated that they will import wheat from India to curb the looming supply crisis.
This comes at a time when bread prices are going up thanks to the rising cost of cooking oil, fuel, wheat and packaging cost.
Supa Loaf brand which is owned by Mini Bakeries has raised the price of 400-grammes bread to KSh 60 from KSh 55.
On the other hand, Broadways has indicated that it will increase the price of 400-grammes in the coming days to KSh 60 from KSh 55.
The 600-grammes type will go up from KSh 83 to KSh 90 with 800-grammes hitting KSh 110.