On 26 January 2021, the Ministry of Economic Development, Trade and Agriculture added an annex to the Memorandum of Understanding with grain market participants introducing an export quota for maize in the 2020/21 marketing year (July/June) of 24 million tonnes. This level, if reached, would amount to 80 percent of the 2020 maize output, 20 percent below the record high levels shipped in 2019/20 but still slightly above the average of the previous five years. The policy seeks to prevent further increases in the prices of maize amid calls from livestock and poultry producers to secure ample availabilities and maintain stable feed prices. Domestic prices of maize followed an increasing trend in 2020, supported by strong export demand and the weakening of the local currency, and were, as of December 2020, 80 percent above their year-earlier levels.

The measure follows a previous agreement between the Government and traders signed in August 2020 (FPMA Food Policy), which introduced exports limits for wheat and rye in order to guarantee adequate supplies and curb increases of domestic prices of the grains.