Full List of Functions of the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) in Kenya

Updated 24 October 2026

The National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB) is the State corporation that buys, stores and sells grain on behalf of the Government, keeps the country’s strategic food reserve and runs the depots where farmers collect subsidised fertiliser. Most Kenyans only meet it twice a year: when maize prices are announced after harvest, and when the queues for cheap fertiliser start before the rains. Behind those two moments sits a longer list of legal functions, set out in the National Cereals and Produce Board Act (Cap. 338).

This guide lists those functions as the Act states them, explains how the Board’s job has changed since the grain market was liberalised, and shows what each function means for a farmer, a miller or a consumer in 2026.

In this guide

1. Functions of the NCPB under the Act
2. Powers the Board uses to carry out those functions
3. How the NCPB's role changed after liberalisation
4. What the functions look like on the ground in 2026
5. Common complaints and what to do
6. Frequently asked questions

Functions of the NCPB under the Act

Section 4 of Cap. 338 gives the Board four functions. In plain language they are:

1. Regulating the grain trade. To regulate or control the collection, movement, storage, sale, purchase, transport, marketing, processing, distribution, import, export, disposal and supply of maize, wheat and other scheduled agricultural produce.
2. Trading in grain. To buy, store, sell, import, export and dispose of maize, wheat and scheduled produce in the quantities and on the terms needed to meet the needs of producers and consumers in Kenya.
3. Advising the Minister. To advise the Cabinet Secretary for Agriculture on how much maize, wheat and scheduled produce the country should grow, and on how far imports and exports should be controlled.
4. Incidental work. To do any other act connected to those functions.

The Act also says the Board must follow general or special directions from the Minister, and that it can be appointed as a Government agent under the Agriculture Act. That second clause is the legal hook for much of what the NCPB does today, such as distributing subsidised fertiliser for the Ministry.

Powers the Board uses to carry out those functions

Section 5 gives the Board the powers of a company. It can sign contracts, open bank accounts, invest money it does not need immediately, issue bills of exchange and promissory notes, and borrow working capital with the Minister’s approval. It can also set up reserve or equalisation funds from good years to cushion later falls in grain prices. The Act further provides for the licensing of millers and lets the Board allocate grain to licensed millers.

How the NCPB’s role changed after liberalisation

For decades the Board had a near monopoly on maize marketing. The NCPB’s own Strategic Plan for 2023 to 2027 records that the grain subsector was fully liberalised in 1993 and that in 1996 the Board became a commercial entity, free to make its own business decisions and no longer dependent on the Exchequer. Private traders now buy most of the maize grown in Kenya, so the Board competes for grain rather than controlling it.

The same plan describes today’s NCPB as two businesses under one roof:

Side of the business	What it covers
Commercial trading	Buying and selling grain, fertiliser and agrochemicals, plus paid grain services such as pest control (fumigation), warehousing, drying, and clearing and forwarding
Government agency work	Managing the National Food Reserve, procuring and distributing famine relief and strategic stocks, and carrying out market intervention for grain and farm inputs on behalf of the Government

The Board’s eCitizen page puts it the same way: its mandate is to provide logistics support to the Government on food security and to carry out market intervention for grains and farm inputs.

What the functions look like on the ground in 2026

1. Buying maize from farmers

When the Government wants to support prices or restock the reserve, NCPB depots buy maize directly. In January 2026 the Board announced it was buying Grade 1 and Grade 2 maize at KSh 4,000 per 90kg bag, with payment at the depot. Maize has to be dry and clean to get the top grades, so farmers who deliver wet or damaged grain may be turned away or paid less.

2. Selling subsidised fertiliser

Under the National Fertiliser Subsidy Programme, NCPB depots are the main outlet for Government fertiliser. A 50kg bag was KSh 2,500 for most of 2025 and 2026. In September 2026 the Ministry of Agriculture announced a further cut to KSh 2,000 a bag, together with a 50 per cent subsidy on certified maize seed. Depot managers told the Kenya News Agency that each farmer must present an authorisation letter or voucher from the Ministry showing the acreage and quantity allocated, and that reselling subsidised fertiliser at a higher price is an offence.

If you are planning a trip to collect inputs, our list of NCPB branches and depots with contacts helps you find the nearest store and call ahead about stock.

3. Holding the Strategic Food Reserve

The Board stores and rotates the national grain reserve on the Government’s behalf, so that food can be released during drought or price spikes. Grain from the reserve is also used for relief distribution in affected counties.

4. Renting out storage and grain services

Because it owns silos and warehouses across the grain belt, the NCPB rents space to traders and farmer groups and sells drying, cleaning and fumigation services. For a large farmer this can be cheaper than building storage and reduces post harvest losses.

5. Advising Government on imports and exports

Decisions on duty free maize or wheat imports are made by the Ministry and the Treasury, but the Board’s stock levels and market data feed into them, as the Act intends.

If you are weighing up what to grow, compare the numbers with our Irish potato farming guide before committing a whole season to maize.

Common complaints and what to do

• Low buying price. Farmer groups often say the NCPB price does not cover production costs. You are free to sell to private buyers if they pay more.
• Long fertiliser queues. Depot managers advise collecting inputs early, since stock is often in stores weeks before the rains.
• Fake or repackaged fertiliser. Buy only from NCPB depots and licensed agro dealers, and report anyone reselling subsidised bags.
• Delayed payment. Keep your delivery note and grading slip and raise the issue with the depot manager, then the regional office.

Frequently asked questions

What is the main function of NCPB?

Its core legal function is to regulate and trade in maize, wheat and scheduled produce. In practice its main jobs today are managing the Strategic Food Reserve, buying grain for the Government and selling subsidised fertiliser.

Which law created the NCPB?

The National Cereals and Produce Board Act, Cap. 338 of the Laws of Kenya.

How much is NCPB fertiliser in 2026?

The Ministry of Agriculture cut the price of a 50kg bag of subsidised fertiliser from KSh 2,500 to KSh 2,000 in September 2026. You need a Ministry allocation to buy it.

Is NCPB a government body or a business?

Both. It is a State corporation under the Ministry of Agriculture that has operated commercially since 1996, while also doing agency work for the Government.

Sources: National Cereals and Produce Board Act (Cap. 338), sections 4 and 5; NCPB Strategic Plan 2023 to 2027 (abridged); NCPB eCitizen service page; NCPB maize price statement of 12 January 2026; Ministry of Agriculture statement on seed and fertiliser prices, September 2026; Kenya News Agency report from Migori depots.