Grain & Food

The Buyer Universe (paragraph one)

We introduce upstream cargo to NCPB (Strategic Grain Reserve and emergency-import windows), KTDA (specialty supply where applicable), KNTC (sugar, edible oil and rice framework counterparties), the Cereal Millers Association members (Unga, Pembe, Capwell, Mombasa Maize Millers, United Millers, Kabansora, Maisha), the feed-mill segment (Kenchic, Sigma Feeds, Unga Farm Care), edible-oil refiners (Bidco Africa, Pwani Oil Products, Kapa Oil Refineries, Menengai), WFP East Africa through UNGM-listed suppliers, and EAC re-export channels (Uganda OWC and MAAIF, Rwanda MINAGRI, eastern DRC, South Sudan, parts of Ethiopia).

The 2026 Reality

Russia is now Kenya's largest single source of imported wheat. Q1 2026 wheat shipments to Kenya: 423,000 MT — an 8.3× increase on Q1 2025. Russian wheat now accounts for approximately 67% of Kenya's wheat imports by value (Q1 2026 run-rate; 2024 full-year baseline ~46% by value). In January 2026, Vysotsk loaded a 44,000-MT direct shipment to Mombasa — the formalisation of a Baltic-origin route that did not exist before late 2025.

Kenya's 10% wheat-CET stay applies to the 2025/26 cycle on a conditional-renewal basis; renewal is contingent on annual EAC review and gazette confirmation.

Tuapse is withdrawn from the Sarpah loadport list. Tuapse marine infrastructure is operated by Rosneft-affiliated entities (UK OFSI asset-freeze, EU CFSP, OFAC SSI); we do not introduce cargo originating Tuapse.

The Lines

Wheat

Volume: 10,500–50,000 MT per shipment. Loadports: Novorossiysk, Taman (Black Sea), Vysotsk (Baltic).

Other grain

Edible oils

See the edible-oils overview. The institutional Kenyan flow leads with crude palm oil ex Malaysia / Indonesia (Bidco Thika, Pwani Kikambala refining feedstock); sunflower oil is a smaller premium-retail segment.

Wheat flour

Food

Lines we do not introduce

• Oats — sub-5,000 MT/year demand; not a deliverable institutional flow.
• Rapeseed seed — no Kenyan crusher.
• Russian rice — Pakistani basmati / IRRI-6 dominates the institutional segment.
• Soybeans at scale — Brazil and Argentina dominate the global trade; Kenyan crushing is sub-scale and Russian origin is not the natural source.
• Wheat flour at scale — protected by 60% Kenya CET stay.

Loadports

Delivery Terms

FOB / CFR / CIF Mombasa. ASWP on bilateral agreement.

Payment

The buyer's bank issues; the seller's bank advises or — where required — confirms. Sarpah is not on the instrument chain.

For wheat and other grain, the typical structure is TT MT103: 50% advance payment on signing the contract; 50% on presentation of shipping documents at the port of departure. This is the Russian / Black Sea grain-trade standard.

For larger or annual SPAs: irrevocable DLC under UCP 600 with charter-party B/L under Article 22 + ISBP 821 G6–G11, confirmed by a non-designated prime correspondent bank where required. The European-prime confirming-bank universe for Russia-touching trade finance has narrowed to substantially nil for new business; routing now leans on AED via Mashreq / Emirates NBD and CNY via CIPS direct participants (Standard Bank of South Africa, Afreximbank, Bank of China, ICBC; Ecobank from 2026). See Sanctions, AML & KYC.

For multi-shipment frame contracts: SBLC under ISP98 / URDG 758 with TT settlement against shipping documents on each cargo.

The Buyer Universe — detail

Wheat — private millers (the dominant channel)

Kenya imports approximately 90% of its wheat. Total annual consumption: 2 million+ MT. The dominant private millers are:

• Unga Group — Kenya's largest miller, 500,000+ MT per year processed, 100% imported wheat. Brands: Exe, Jogoo. NSE-listed (UNGA.ke).
• Pembe Flour Mills — Mombasa-based; port-adjacent; major bulk wheat importer.
• Capwell Industries — Thika-based; rice and wheat. Brand: Mwea (rice).
• Mombasa Maize Millers (MMM) — Mombasa.
• United Millers — Kisumu.
• Kabansora Millers — Nairobi.
• Maisha Flour Mills — Eldoret.
• Mama Millers — Western.
• Cereal Millers Association (CMA) — industry coordination body.

Private millers procure on rolling 3–6 month forward contracts.

Feed mills — the 9–10.5% wheat band

Kenchic, Sigma Feeds, Unga Farm Care. The lower protein band is feed wheat in the Kenyan market.

NCPB — strategic grain reserve and emergency import windows

NCPB operates the Strategic Grain Reserve (SGR) and the Famine Relief Stocks (FRS) under the Strategic Food Reserve Trust Fund. The mandate is primarily domestic procurement at floor prices. During drought or supply emergencies, NCPB has run open international tenders for white maize in 30,000–50,000 MT lots. White-maize import tenders are episodic and high-margin opportunities.

KNTC — sugar, edible oil and rice

KNTC has historically operated import windows for sugar, edible oil and rice under government mandate. Post-2023 reorganisation has narrowed the scope; current activity should be confirmed against KNTC's published procurement.

Edible-oil refiners

Bidco Africa, Pwani Oil Products, Kapa Oil Refineries, Menengai Oil Refineries, United Millers. The institutional flow is crude palm oil ex Malaysia / Indonesia; sunflower oil is the premium-retail segment.

WFP East Africa

Procures pulses, vegetable oil, fortified blended foods and grain through the UN Global Marketplace (UNGM) and the WFP procurement portal.

EAC re-export

Uganda (OWC, MAAIF), Rwanda (MINAGRI), eastern DRC, South Sudan (WFP and private importers), parts of Ethiopia.

Compliance Stack

• KEPHIS Import Permit lodged in advance via the KEPHIS Online Permit System; 90-day validity.
• Phytosanitary Certificate from origin NPPO (Rosselkhoznadzor for Russia; Department of Plant Protection for Pakistan) dated within 14 days of vessel sailing.
• Fumigation Certificate where required by the import permit (typically all bulk grain).
• KEBS Certificate of Conformity at load port through the 2026–2029 cycle's nine appointed firms.
• Certificate of Origin from origin Chamber of Commerce.
• Certificate of Analysis, Certificate of Weight.
• EAC CET: HS 1001.99.10 / 1001.99.90 (wheat, milling grade) — base 35% with Kenya's 10% stay routinely renewed annually. HS 1005.90.00 (maize, other than seed) — base 50% (Sensitive Items List), Kenya 0% stay during gazetted deficit windows. HS 1006.30.00 (rice) — base 35% or USD 200/MT, whichever higher. HS 1701 (sugar) — 100% or USD 460/MT plus Sugar Development Levy 4% under the Sugar Act 2024. HS 1511.10.00 (crude palm oil) — base 10%. HS 1512.11.00 (crude sunflower oil) — 10%; HS 1512.19.00 (refined sunflower oil) — 25%.
• VAT: Wheat (unprocessed) zero-rated; maize zero-rated; refined oil 16%; sugar 16% plus Sugar Development Levy.
• AFA Cess applies on AFA-scheduled crops (cereals, sugar, etc.) at the gazetted rate.

Discharge

Mombasa bulk grain handling at the Grain Bulk Handlers Ltd (GBHL) terminal — 1,800 MT/hr peak / 20,000 MT/day; 220,000 MT grain storage at the GBHL terminal. Free storage under the KPA Tariff Book 2025 (effective 22 December 2025): 4 days domestic / 15 days transit for containers; bulk grain at GBHL silos under separate concession terms. Demurrage on charter terms; typical Supramax / Panamax USD 10,000–30,000 per day in 2025 BDI conditions.

Inland Delivery

Mombasa to Nairobi: SGR Mombasa–Naivasha then truck onward (the Naivasha–Kisumu/Malaba SGR extension is in service from 2028+). Mombasa to Eldoret (millers + NCPB): road via A104. Mombasa to Kampala (Northern Corridor SCT): 1,170 km, USD 110–160 per MT bulk, 7-day median, 4–10 days range under EAC SCT seal; note the ~14% trucker-rate uplift through 2026 versus 2025 baselines.