“Nobody can stop Reggae” is the new phrase used in reference to the Building Bridges Initiative (BBI) meetings but on the markets, it means something different; tomatoes.
You may have seen jokes flying online about the price of tomatoes in Kenya. Some are calling it the “new gold in town”, some, “the new range.” Some are even saying it is the new pickup line for winning over someone; “kuja kwangu niko na nyanya.”
Amidst all the jokes about this seemingly precious commodity, the price is actually as high as the jokes themselves. In most towns on the coast, the price of one tomato hit 35 shillings from between 20 and 25 shillings the previous week.
In most parts of Mombasa, a tomato is going for between 30 and 35 shillings from 5 shillings two months ago, and 25 shillings a week ago.
Things are not different in Nairobi. The price of a tomato in most parts is still at 20 to 25 shillings. Some places, like Ngara Fig Tree as selling a kilogram between 170 and 300 shillings from the normal 70 shillings.
Those used to low prices at Wakulima Market were at an irredeemable shock last week when the price of a kilogram of tomatoes rose to 170 shillings from between 70 and 80 shillings.
The price of onions is also rising steadily with a piece being not very far from a tomato at between 15 and 20 shillings. People still prefer the use of tomato pastes and Royco cubes over buying tomatoes.
“There are no tomatoes. Having a stock to sell is a miracle. Currently, we are getting ours from Tanzania. Nobody is willing to sell on wholesale,” said Rita Nyawira, a trader at Wakulima Market.
Tomatoes don’t like too much rain. Towards the end of 2019, there was too much-unexpected rain that destroyed the crop in almost the whole country. Farmers went into losses and some have not recovered since.
READ: Nairobians Resolve To Use Royco Cubes As tomato Hits Ksh 30 Each