Food Prices Skyrocket at Daraja Mbili Market, Kisii town

Kisii Friday, June 16, 2023

KNA by Scovia Ochieng 

The price of basic foodstuffs has risen in Kisii County even as the residents struggle to cope with the high cost of living being witnessed in the country.

A spot check by KNA at Daraja Mbili market in Kisii town revealed a sharp increase in the prices of foodstuffs such as maize, tomatoes, and local vegetables.

Currently, the selling price for one kilogram of tomatoes is Sh.310 at the market, up from Sh95 in the month of March while 50 kilograms of tomatoes are retailing at Sh3000, up from Sh1500 in March.

According to Fred Onyancha, a trader, the prices have surged due to low rains experienced in the country, leading to minimal harvests for farmers as well as the high cost of other commodities that contribute to the production of tomatoes.

Onyancha noted that some traders were also hoarding the tomatoes to reap the benefits during the low seasons thereby contributing to the sharp increase in the last few months.

Rachel Moraa who sells maize at the market, stated they are currently buying maize at Sh 200 per two kilograms hence making it difficult to purchase a whole sack.

According to Moraa, consumers would previously buy the two kilograms of maize at Sh180 at the start of the year but now, she acquires maize from farmers at Sh195 and sells it at Sh 200, resulting in a meager profit of only Sh5.

She attributed the increased costs in maize prices to the high transportation costs that are incurred when sellers obtain the crop from farmers in the neighbouring Kuria Sub County in Migori and transport it to the market in Kisii.

Milkah Okindo, another maize seller, explained that the increase in maize prices is primarily driven by the interplay between supply and demand.

Okindo said the weather-related challenges like droughts or floods have also adversely affected maize production in major producing regions leading to an imbalance between supply and demand thereby contributing to upward pressure on prices.

She pointed out that farmers should tackle pests and diseases which significantly impact yields and quality to address the increase in maize prices.

The maize seller emphasised the importance of adopting modern farming techniques such as improved seed varieties, crop rotation, and soil management practices to enhance the farmers’ productivity and yield.

Further, Okindo urged the government to focus on enhancing access to credit, providing timely and accurate market information, and promoting sustainable farming systems that can help to alleviate the burden on maize farmers. 

Similarly, Margaret Moraa who sells local vegetables at the market noted the wholesale prices of the vegetables had doubled and she was making losses due to the low purchase power.

“We usually source our local vegetables from Magena market and would buy a 50-kilogram bag of vegetables at Sh700. However, we are now buying the same quantity at Sh1400,” Moraa said.

The trader pointed out that the number of customers buying local vegetables had also reduced as most people were finding it difficult to afford them.

Courtesy ; K. N. A