Wheat accounted for the bulk of imports through Mombasa port in one week last month, according to the latest figures from the Kenya Ports Authority (KPA).

The agency said 79,501 tonnes of bulk wheat were discharged at the port in the week ended February 21 to emerge as the leading non-containerised cargo over the period.

KPA said the commodity accounted for 49.79 per cent of the total 159,642 tonnes of general cargo handled during the week in review.

A total of 15 vessels were offloaded at the conventional cargo terminus that handled an average of 22,806 tonnes a day, with total exports registering 1,364 tonnes.

Other commodities handled in fairly large quantities included steel and bulk fertiliser that accounted for 31,304 tonnes and 24,722 tonnes respectively.

Vehicle imports recorded a sharp increase from 189 units in the previous week to 2,498 units. “During the week under review, deliveries of general cargo from the port by road transport recorded 82,593 tonnes while the conveyor delivered 75,685 tonnes,’’ said KPA in a statement.