Kenyans have to dig deeper into their pockets to buy tomatoes as ongoing El-Nino rains disrupt supply of the essential commodity. Prices have increased by up to 40 percent as traders struggle to supply the produce that is widely used by millions of Kenyans. Tomatoes mainly thrive during the warm weather season, which preceded the El-Nino rains.
With the rains having started in October and have been around for about a month, particularly in source markets in Central, Eastern and Rift Valley, supply has been completely disrupted.
A 64kg box of tomatoes is now going for between 70 U.S. dollars and 85 dollars in various wholesale markets in the East African nation, up from a low of 42 dollars.
Retail prices have equally shot up, with most traders in the capital Nairobi selling a kilo at 1.1 dollars. Prices in most parts of the city, however, depend on the size of the tomatoes and the suburb.
Prices are, however, fairer in the East African nation’s capital compared to other regions.
A 64kg box of tomatoes at Wakulima, the biggest wholesale market in the city, is going for 73 dollars, compared to 82 dollars in Kisumu and 80 dollars in Mombasa.
The rains have also brought diseases to farmers growing the crop in open fields, in particular bacterial wilt, as it washes soil from one place to another.
Traders noted that consumers have already started abandoning the produce due to the high prices.
