Kisumu business owners lament high fuel prices

Kisumu,

Thursday, September 21, 2023,

KNA Kisumu by Fleiss Akoko

Traders in Kisumu County have decried the spike in the cost of fuel, claiming that it has led to higher transportation expenses reducing their profit margins.

 Speaking in Kisumu town on Thursday, a section of the vendors lamented that the high cost of living has affected their businesses in recent days due to high operation costs.

The hike in pump prices, they asserted, has caused an increase in the cost of transporting goods from farmers to market vendors.

Subsequently, the cost of essential goods like maize, beans, onions, tomatoes, green grams, cabbages, fish, and assorted fruits in the lakeside city has doubled, especially for products sourced from Nairobi and other regions.

This situation has compelled the traders to seek immediate measures by doubling the commodities’ prices to maintain their profit margins and sustain their businesses.

Francis Njagy, a businessperson at Jubilee Market, expressed his dilemma. He explained that the high cost of transport has forced them to double commodity prices despite consumers complaining to have no money.

 “We have no choice but to increase product prices,” Njagy elaborated, "the cost of traveling to Nairobi has doubled, from Sh.600 to Sh.1200. Additionally, if you order products, they have to go through the weighbridge, whose charges has also increased. Initially, we used to pay Sh.500 per luggage, but now it's Sh.1000. So, for 3 luggage, it's about Sh.3000, which is expensive."

The exorbitant cost of transport has also pushed some transport-related businesses to shut down. These businesses can no longer cope with the escalating fuel costs, making it difficult to transport goods to the markets. As a result, traders who relied on these services have been affected, as they were comparatively cheaper than alternative transportation methods.

Susan Nyawera, a fish vendor in Kisumu who depends on Lake Victoria for her fish supply, has also been hit hard. She revealed that she has had to double the prices of her fish, to cover the increased transportation costs to her market stall and supply to her customers’ locations.

 "I've had to double the price of sizable fish from Sh.150 to Sh.200 because my supplier has raised the cost of obtaining fish due to the higher fuel prices. I also need to make a profit, so customers have to bear with us because there is nothing we can do about it," Susan explained.

Courtesy; KNA