Food prices in July have fallen thanks to reduced heavy rain and increased market supply. After a long season of high food prices, prices are finally low, and consumers can afford them.
Farm gate prices for red bulb onions are below ksh 30 per kilo. These low prices are a disadvantage to farmers due to the high cost of production. The worst hit are Tanzanian onion farmers who depend on the Kenyan market. They have been forced to lower prices to ksh 10 per kilogram. Onion prices will finally stabilize at Ksh 20 Farmgate and Ksh 50 retail.
Tomatoes are the most unstable farm produce in terms of prices in Kenya. In January, a crate of grade one was retailing at ksh 5000. Since then, the prices have been falling. Current prices are ranging from Ksh 1200 to Ksh 1500 per crate. A further fall in prices is expected to be Ksh 1000.
Market prices for potatoes have been stable at Ksh 5000 per bag, thanks to average market supply and demand. However, heavy rains destroyed most of the potato produce, reducing market supply. This may change as we near the mid-harvesting season, around August and September.
Cabbage prices are finally falling, from a high of Ksh 100 per head to the current Ksh 30. This is due to an increased supply of kale, spinach, and other vegetables, which has lowered the demand. The average price of spinach and other greens has also fallen to less than Ksh 30 per kilo. However, as the dry season persists, prices are expected to start rising again, with high prices in October.
Read: Highest capsicum yield ever per acre in open field
Green capsicum prices are falling, as we predicted previously. Currently, a kilo is selling at Ksh 40 farm gate. Coloured capsicum prices are above ksh 80 per kilo farmgate. The supply of capsicums in the market is steady as more farmers continue planting and harvesting. This may persist till December and spill in January.
The supply of garden peas, often known as Minji, is slowly reducing, pushing prices high. This is similar to carrots, whose prices are increasing. The current prices for carrots and peas are Ksh 100 and Ksh 150 per kilo, respectively.
In the Rift Valley, a 90kg bag of dry maize costs Ksh 2000, while green maize costs Ksh 5 per piece.
A crate of eggs has been at an average of ksh 400. However, prices are falling due to high supply from local farmers and imports from Uganda. It retails at ksh 350 in most markets, and the farmgate price is Ksh 300.
In general, food prices for most produce will continue to fall, which will benefit consumers and disadvantage farmers.
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