Tomatoes Fetch a Fortune in Nairobi with a Crate Selling at Kshs.8,500

The market prices of tomatoes have gone down. Before 2019, one kg of tomatoes went for 90.61 shillings in 2017 and 161.73 shillings in 2018. In 2019 the export price changed per kilo to 319.09 shillings by 97.133 percent.

In 2022 the approximate price range for Kenyan tomatoes is between 161.73 shillings and 326.90 shillings per kilogram in Mombasa and Nairobi.

A crate retails at an average of 8,500 shillings in major cities like Nairobi, Kisumu, Trans- Nzoia, and Mombasa, with the lowest price ranging from 6,000 to 7,000 shillings in some counties.

The commodity retails at 2o shillings for three medium-sized and 1o shillings for a large one in Nairobi.

Meanwhile, the price of onions has been rising since December 2021. A spot check in the fresh vegetable market in Nairobi shows that dry onions are retailing at an average market price of 107.83 shillings, an increase of 2.3 percent.

A small sack of onions (10kg) that was going for 1,000 shillings in November is now 1,200 shillings, according to traders at Marikiti market in Nairobi.

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The approximate price range for Spinach is between 367.30 shillings and 841.34 Kenyan Shillings per kilogram in Mombasa and Nairobi.

However, the price of cabbage has gone down slightly, with a kilo averaging 49.82 shillings from 49.96 shillings in January.

During rainy seasons, medium-sized cabbages are sold as low as 10 shillings but currently, they cost up to 50 shillings.

Managu is sold in markets in a bunch; a handful for about 10 shillings, with a kilogram, usually fetching 30-40 shillings. A sack of the same commodity is trading at 2000 shillings in Nairobi.

During the rainy seasons, managu prices can fall as low as 500-300 shillings because most farmers depend on rainfed agriculture and can grow it as well.

In major cities such as Nairobi, Mombasa, and Kisumu, common vegetable price fluctuations have been a daunting challenge to consumers; these have been caused by supply inconsistency due to seasonality.

The table below summarizes the prices of different vegetables as of March 2022.