Households in Nyeri will have to dig deeper into their pockets to buy potatoes as the price of a 17kg bucket has gone up by at least 150 percent in a span of a month.
Traders in main markets are selling a bucket of potatoes at Sh1,000, up from Sh400 due to the scarcity of the farm produce in the face of severe drought which has been felt across the country in the first four months of 2019.
“The rains did not fall; it has been a very tough period for us because people do not have money and we are not selling,” said Ms Mercy Maina, a trader at the Nyeri open air market.
A bag weighing 220 kilogrammes sourced from Nyahururu is selling at Sh8,600, up from Sh5,400.
SHORTAGE TO CONTINUE
“It was expected that the prices would shoot up and we actually expect there to be a shortage in the next few days,” noted Ms Maina.
Some traders have been sourcing potatoes from Tanzania.
“Much as the rains are here with us, there are no potatoes that have germinated, meaning the prices will continue to soar,” she added.
This has largely affected fast food joints which sell potato fries (chips).
“Instead of increasing the prices for a plateful of chips, we are opting to sell the chips in smaller portions,” said Ms Alice Mwangi, proprietor of New Chicken World Café.
The skyrocketing prices have also affected cabbages which are selling at Sh80 and Sh100 up from Sh40 and Sh50 apiece.