Costly farm inputs push food prices higher in Nyandarua, Laikipia
Farmers arrange maize sacks for delivery to the National Cereals and Produce Board (NCPB), Eldoret depot, on February 17, 2015.
Fresh food produce traders in Laikipia and Nyandarua counties have blamed costly farm inputs for skyrocketing food prices.
At the Nyahururu County market, a major outlet that served the region, traders have cited the escalating prices of farm inputs as the major cause of unstable prices of foods at the market.
Ms Mary Njoki, a potato vendor, said the market had seen big differences in prices across seasons, keeping buyers at bay and farmers counting huge post-harvest losses.
“Currently, a 22kg bucket of potatoes sells for between Sh450 and Sh500, while in the last high season the same quantity of produce would fetch as low as Sh250,” she said.
Farmers from parts of Nyandarua who are known to produce more potatoes, including in Gathanji and Shamata, and supply the market have cited the high cost of production.
“Farmers who supply the market with potato have been lamenting higher costs of farm inputs, fertiliser, seeds, and pesticides, which has in turn forced most of them to reduce acreage under the crop, therefore influencing demand and supply of the staple produce at market,” Ms Njoki added.
Mr Joshua Njenga, another trader, said the prices of cereals had increased significantly.
“Beans and cereals like dry maize have been out of season as growers say increases in fuel prices had made most of them either till their land in readiness for planting early enough or abandoned the crops for others,” said Mr Njenga.
He added that they are expecting many cereals to be in season starting in October.
“A kilo of dry maize still stands at Sh100, green grams cost Sh150, up from Sh120 a year ago, while beans are going for Sh150 per kilo,” Mr Njenga said.
But recent rains in the region have favoured the growing of vegetables. This has resulted in the flooding of the market with these products, with a bunch of spinach selling for Sh10.
Ms Milcah Wangari, a grocer, added that a kilo of tomatoes costs Sh60, while bell pepper sells at Sh80. Onions cost Sh50, with a kilo of carrots retailing at Sh30.
