Market News

Fresh food prices rise as transporters keep off the roads

tomato

A tomato vendor. Customers have been buying foods in bulk expecting low supply after polls. FILE PHOTO | NMG

Fresh food prices in Nairobi have shot up amid low stocks with vendors projecting a further rise as transporters keep of the roads.

A spot check by the Business Daily revealed that prices of foods such as maize, beans, green grams and vegetables including onions, tomatoes, carrots and cabbages had risen as demand outstripped supply.

“We have been selling what we had stocked since yesterday. We expect prices to shoot up as supply is generally low. Transporters are waiting to see how things pan out in the next couple of days,” said Jacinta Wangari, an onion seller at Muthurwa market.

Before the elections onions, tomatoes and carrots were selling at Sh40, Sh80 and Sh30 per kilogramme respectively.

A kilo of Rosecoco beans was selling at Sh100. They are now selling at Sh60, Sh100, Sh50 and Sh120 respectively.

A kilo of carrots is expected to rise to Sh80 and Rosecoco beans Sh150 if things don’t normalise swiftly.

READ: Food prices triple in Mombasa ahead of Tuesday polls

A kilo of onions could sell at Sh80 while the same quantity of tomatoes is tipped to hit Sh150 according to vendors. Traders also observed that since last week, customers have been buying food items in bulk to stock in anticipation of low supply after the elections.

Some of the food bought in bulk include vegetables such as onions, tomatoes, carrots and cabbages.

“Our customers were not sure about the outcome of the elections. They have therefore been buying in bulk since last week to stock in the unfortunate event that violence erupts,” James Mathenge, who sells cabbages, said.

Observers on Thursday gave the polls a clean bill of health.