Gloomy festivities as prices of essential c*mmodities shoot up
Kenyans anticipate a tough festive season as prices of most essential commodities have remained relatively high.
Prices of vegetable oil, sugar and milk have been soaring.
A litre of cooking oil in supermarkets has risen from Sh230 to Sh300 depending on the brand, while one kilogramme of sugar is currently retailing between Sh110 and Sh135, also depending on the brand.
A 500ml packet of milk is selling between Sh50 to Sh57, depending on the brand. At Kongowea market food products prices have skyrocketed as Kenyans embark on a shopping spree ahead of the festivities.
Continuing rains
Chairman in charge of tomato section at Kongowea market Julius Mutegi, the situation has been worsened by continued rains in upcountry and increased cost of transportation due to high fuel prices.
“As we approach festivities, prices of commodities rise because areas, where the food products are produced, are experiencing harvesting delays due to heavy rains, thus making transportation slow triggering low supply,” Mutegi said.
By Monday the price of a 70kg crate of tomato now goes for Sh4,500 up from Sh3,500 in Kongowea market.
Similarly, a 120kg tomato crate is now costing Sh8,500 up from Sh6,500 before the fuel went up. This means the burden will now be turned to the consumers.
“We are suffering because suppliers of the market have increased prices of major food commodities because fuel prices have also increased. The way things are, there is no value for money because the economy is still down due to Covid-19,” said Mutegi.
A Survey by People Daily in the market established that suppliers of potatoes at the market have hiked the cost of a potato sack now going for Sh7,000 up from Sh5,000 two weeks ago, translating to a cost of Sh70 per one kilogramme up from Sh50 per kilo.
“We are selling three tomatoes at Sh50 and when customers come they complain the cost is too high for them, we understand because the economy is tough but again, there is nothing we can do because ours is business,” said Rose Moses, another tomato trader at the market.
People Daily established in the market survey that suppliers of potatoes at the market have hiked the cost of a potato sack now going for Sh7,000 up from Sh5,000 two weeks ago, translating to a cost of Sh70 per kilogramme up from Sh50 per kilo.
“What do we do, we have children in school who are dependent on us,our customers have run away after we raised the prices, now we are in a wait and see situation because we have no income at all,” said Lillian Olando, a potato seller.
In the onion section, according to Halima Athman says she has nothing to take home because the cost of an onion net is much higher than the normal sale thus she has been operating on a loss.
“We are operating in a loss, we can’t put food on table because we can’t make any profit from sales after suppliers increased the costs, we are urging the government to rethink on the fuel crisis,” said Athman.
A net of onion now goes for Sh1,000 up from Sh500.
