What is the NCPB maize buying price in 2026?

For 2026, the NCPB buying rate is indicatively announced around KSh 4,000 per 90kg bag for Grade 1/2 maize, but treat this as an announced, seasonal figure rather than a live guarantee. The actual rate, grades, and whether buying is open are set per season and can change, so always confirm the current announced price directly with NCPB or your nearest depot before you deliver.

What moisture content does NCPB require for maize?

NCPB requires maize to be properly dried — commonly around 13.5% moisture — along with meeting cleanliness and grading standards. Grain that is too wet or contains too many broken, discoloured, mouldy, or foreign matter is rejected or down-graded at the depot. Dry and sort your maize well before transporting it to avoid a wasted trip.

How do I sell my maize to NCPB?

Dry and clean your maize to standard, confirm the current buying rate and that NCPB is actively buying, register as a farmer and prepare your documents, deliver to your nearest depot where the grain is weighed and tested, and get paid per the announced rate for grain that passes. Confirm registration requirements, payment method, and timelines with the depot first.

Is NCPB always the best place to sell maize?

Not always. The NCPB rate is often a useful benchmark and can be attractive, but you must subtract transport to the depot and account for payment timing. Sometimes a nearby miller, trader, or buyer offers a better net price with faster payment and no long haul. Compare the net figure from several buyers — including those on Agrisoko — before deciding.

Where are NCPB depots located?

NCPB operates depots and stores across the country, concentrated in the main grain-growing regions such as the North Rift, wider Rift Valley, and Western Kenya, with others elsewhere. Identify your nearest depot and confirm it is open for buying before transporting grain, since delivery is to the depot and transport cost affects your net price.

NCPB Maize Prices 2026: Buying Rate, Depots and How to Deliver

NCPB maize prices in 2026 are a key reference point for every maize farmer in Kenya deciding when and where to sell. The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) buys maize from farmers at an announced seasonal rate, and that rate often sets the tone for the wider market. For 2026, the buying rate has been indicatively announced around KSh 4,000 per 90kg bag for Grade 1/2 maize. This guide explains what that figure means, the moisture and quality rules, how to deliver to a depot, and how to make sure you actually get the best price — whether from NCPB or another buyer.

Treat the Price as Indicative, Not a Live Guarantee

The most important thing to understand: the KSh ~4,000 per 90kg bag figure is an announced, seasonal buying rate, not a live market price you can bank on at any moment. NCPB purchase programmes open and close depending on national stocks, harvest, and policy, and the announced rate and accepted grades are set per season and can change.

Always confirm the current announced rate and that buying is actually open with NCPB or your nearest depot before you dry, bag, and transport grain. For the most up-to-date maize price context and trends, check Agrisoko's maize market intelligence alongside the official announcement.

Why the NCPB Rate Matters

Even when you don't sell to NCPB, the board's buying rate is useful because it:

Acts as a price floor/benchmark that influences what millers and traders offer.
Signals government intent on supporting farmers in a given season.
Gives you negotiating power — you can point to the NCPB rate when bargaining with a broker.

Moisture and Quality Rules

NCPB does not buy just any maize. To be accepted at the announced Grade 1/2 rate, your grain must meet standards:

Requirement	What it means
Moisture	Properly dried, commonly around 13.5%
Cleanliness	Free of chaff, stones, dust, and foreign matter
Damage	Low levels of broken, discoloured, insect-damaged kernels
Mould / aflatoxin	No mould; grain must be safe and sound
Packaging	Standard 90kg bag

Grain that fails moisture or quality is rejected or down-graded at the depot — meaning a wasted trip and transport cost. Good post-harvest handling is therefore essential before you even think about delivering; see our guide on post-harvest management in Kenya for drying to safe moisture and preventing aflatoxin.

How to Sell Maize to NCPB: The Process

Dry and clean maize to the required moisture and grade.
Confirm the current buying rate and that NCPB is buying this season.
Register as a farmer with NCPB where required and prepare identification and documents.
Locate your nearest depot and plan transport — depots are concentrated in grain regions like the North Rift, wider Rift Valley, and Western Kenya.
Deliver to the depot, where grain is weighed and tested.
Get paid the announced rate for grain that passes; ask upfront about payment method and timelines.

The Net Price Is What Counts

The headline rate is not the same as what lands in your pocket. Before choosing NCPB, work out the net price:

Factor	Effect on your net
Announced NCPB rate	Starting point (e.g. ~KSh 4,000/90kg)
Transport to depot	Subtract — can be significant if far
Payment timing	Delays cost you cash-flow value
Grading outcome	Down-grade lowers the price received
Alternative buyer offer	Compare miller/trader/direct-buyer net price

Sometimes a local miller, trader, or direct buyer offers a better net price with faster payment and no long haul to a depot. The smart move is to compare several options on a net basis, not to assume any single channel is always best.

How Agrisoko Helps You Find the Best Buyer

This is where Agrisoko makes the difference. Instead of relying on one rate or one broker, you can:

Compare current maize prices and trends across buyers and regions on Agrisoko maize market intelligence so you know what your grain is really worth this season.
Reach serious buyers directly — millers, traders, and bulk buyers — instead of accepting the first broker offer at the farm gate.
Decide the best time to sell by watching whether prices are rising or falling, rather than dumping at the harvest-season low.

When you know the NCPB benchmark, understand the quality rules, and can see what other buyers are paying, you negotiate from strength.

Timing Your Sale

Maize prices in Kenya typically dip at harvest (when supply floods the market) and recover in the following months as stocks tighten. If you have dried and stored your maize well, you don't have to sell into the low. Holding safely stored grain and selling when prices firm up — while keeping an eye on the NCPB rate and market intelligence — is one of the simplest ways to earn more from the same crop.

Understanding Grades and What They Pay

NCPB and formal buyers price maize by grade, and the announced ~KSh 4,000 figure refers to the top Grade 1/2 clean, dry maize. Lower grades — grain with more damage, discolouration, or foreign matter — attract lower prices or rejection. This is why the effort you put into drying, cleaning, and sorting directly changes the money you receive: the same crop can be a Grade 1 sale or a down-graded, discounted one depending purely on handling. Presenting clean, well-dried, properly bagged maize is the cheapest way to protect your price.

Payment, Registration and Practical Tips

A few practical points make the NCPB route smoother:

Register early — sort out farmer registration and documents before the buying window peaks, not on delivery day.
Ask about payment timing — understand how and when you will be paid so you can plan cash flow; a slightly lower price paid quickly can beat a higher price paid slowly.
Confirm the depot is open and buying before you load a lorry — programmes open and close.
Keep records — weigh-notes, receipts, and grading results protect you if there is any dispute.

Treating the sale as a business transaction — documents ready, quality confirmed, net price calculated — puts you in control rather than at the mercy of a single channel.

Sell Your Maize for What It's Worth

The NCPB 2026 rate of around KSh 4,000 per 90kg bag for Grade 1/2 is a valuable benchmark — but confirm it is current, meet the moisture and quality rules, and always compare the net price against other buyers. Check live maize price context on Agrisoko maize market intelligence, and when your grain is dried, graded, and ready, list your maize on Agrisoko to reach the best buyer directly. Know the price, meet the grade, and sell smart.