Cooking oil is now one of Kenya’s most expensive essential commodities as its prices continue rising. A 3 liter can of Rina, for instance, now costs 1,160 shillings at Naivas Supermarket.
A liter of the same commodity sells at 400 shillings, while a 2 liter is 780 shillings. This is more than double the cost of the commodity in May 2021.
Meanwhile, a 10 liter of Fresh Fri cooking oil is trading at 3,307 shillings while a 20 liter of the same brand is 6,590 shillings at Naivas and carrefour shopping outlets.
Salit cooking oil sells at 1,757 shillings for 5 liters, 3,273 shillings for 10 liters, and 6,522 shillings for 20 liters.
| Brand (5 liters) | Naivas | CleanShelf | Carrefour |
| Salit | 1757 | 1,690 | 1757 |
| Avena | 1,700 | 1,700 | 1734 |
| Fresh Fri | 1734 | 1.750 | 1,802 |
| Pika | 1,700 | 1,650 | 1,700 |
| Rina | 1,740 | 1,670 | 1,775 |
Apart from cooking oil, other essential commodities are also on the rise. A 2-kilogram packet of Pembe, Ahab, and Jogoo maize flours now retail at 144 shillings, 148 shillings, and 140 shillings, respectively, on different supermarket shelves across the country.
Meanwhile, a 2 kg packet of Exe Wheat flour is 178 shillings, Pembe is 177 shillings, and Ajab is 176 shillings.
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A 500g packet of milk now costs 60 shillings while a 400g of bread costs the same price at Naivas supermarket. A 2Kg of Kabras Sugar is 245 shillings.
The cost of bar soap has also continued rising on the shelves. An 800g of Jamaa Soap, for instance, costs 207 shillings, 1kg of whitewash is 235 shillings, 1kg Ushindi at 210 shillings, while 1kg of Zenka is 197 shillings at Naivas Supermarket.
The sharp increase in food prices coupled with the failure of the much-expected long rains forced Kenya’s inflation for April to 6.47 percent.
According to the Kenya National Bureau of Statistics’ latest report, inflation rates for April shot to 6.47 percent, up from the 5.56 rate reported in March 2022.
This pushed prices of commodities under food and non-alcoholic beverages to 3.03 percent, with the costs of potatoes rising by 10 percent.
With the ongoing global market disruptions caused by various factors such as the Ukraine war and the Indonesia palm oil export ban, food prices in Kenya are projected to continue increasing further.
Kenyans have to dig deeper into their pockets, but those who can’t afford it now have to forego it. The food situation outlook in Kenya continues to remain scary.