Maize Prices In Bungoma Soar Higher Than The Common Man Can afford

There is an old antiquated stereotype that for a luhya, ugali is considered actual food while others such as rice merely function as appetizers.

However, in recent days, the affordability of this precious food has flown out of the window for most families in the region who mainly depend on maize as a raw material for flour production.

A two kilogram tin of maize is now retailing at between 120 and 130 shillings up from between 60 and 70 shillings during the month of November 2016.

In Tongaren, a two-kilogram tin is going for 130 shillings with the final product costing 140 shillings. In Kimilili, the same is going for 120 shillings with the final product costing 130 shillings making it hard for most families to afford it.

On wholesale, a 90-kilogram bag of maize is retailing between 4800 and 6000 shillings up from between 3600 and 3800 shillings barely two months ago.

In the neighboring Trans Nzoia County, things are not much different either but not as it is in Bungoma. In Kitale town, a two-kilogram tin of dry maize is retailing between 95 and 100 shillings with the final product retailing between 105 and 110 shillings.

People have been moving from as far as Bungoma to come to Kitale to purchase maize due to the relatively low prices as compared to Bungoma.

In Kakamega town, the price is not as different from Bungoma with a two-kilogram tin of dry maize going for between 110 and 125 shillings. In Mumias town, the price is the same as that in Bungoma of between 120 and 130 shillings for a two-kilogram tin of dry maize.

The prices are said to have been pushed up by the ongoing dry season in the country with the situation being worse as the hope of having rain continue to diminish.

Last year, the region experienced a very poor harvest after most of the crop failed to do well as a result of long dry season.

According to the weatherman, rains this year are expected to be little with chances of having rains during the month of April as it is the norm being very minimal.

Related: Increased Milk Prices Driven by the Ongoing Dry Spell Across Kenya