On 30 March, the Government approved duty-free paddy rice imports, eliminating the 75 percent (or USD 345 per tonne) import duty on paddy and husked rice, applicable under the Common External Tariff of the East African Community, effective from 1 January 2017 (FPMA Food Policies). The import license of rice will be limited to a specific quantity of up to 5 000 tonnes per miller and will be valid for a period of four months. The measure aims to boost supplies and stabilize prices, which have been on an increasing trend since early 2017 and were at record highs in early April.