Cost of tomatoes hits all-time low in Kenya
A 64 kg box of tomatoes is currently retailing at 19 US dollars in various wholesale markets in Nairobi, down from 51 dollars in June. It is the first time since the beginning of the year that the cost of the essential commodity has dropped to such low level.
The huge drop in wholesale costs is reflected in retail prices of the commodity in groceries across the capital, where three tomatoes are retailing at 0.11 dollars, down from 0.23 dollars in June. “The cost of tomatoes has dropped tremendously. We are buying them at very low prices and we have to pass that benefit to consumers,” said grocery operator Grace Mutuku, who runs the shop in Komarock on the east of Nairobi. Mutuku, as many other traders, is selling three tomatoes at 0. 11 dollars. “That is the price everywhere. You cannot increase and hope to sell, unless you want to incur losses,” she noted.
Onion and sukuma wiki (kales) prices have also dropped, but not as significantly as tomatoes. Prices are expected to rise sharply as soon as the short rains season starts next month.
Source: coastweek.com
