Wakulima Marikiti Market: Tomato Prices Fly As Supply Drops

Tomato traders and buyers at Nairobi’s Wakulima Market, popularly known as Marikiti, are ground fighting with rising prices following a shortage of fresh supplies from major producing regions across the country.

In recent weeks, the price of tomatoes at the wholesale market has rise sharply, with a single crate now selling between Sh5,000 and Sh6,000, depending on quality and size. Just a month ago, the same crate was going for around Sh2,500 to Sh3,000.

Retailers say the increase has forced them to raise prices for consumers, with a small pile of tomatoes that previously sold for Sh20 now going for as high as Sh50 in some estates.

According to traders at Marikiti, the shortage has been caused by unpredictable weather patterns in key tomato-producing areas such as Mwea, Kirinyaga, Kajiado, Loitoktok, and Nakuru, leading to inconsistent supply in Nairobi.

The market, located near Nairobi’s city centre, is the largest wholesale distribution point for fresh produce in Kenya. Every morning, truckloads of tomatoes, onions, cabbages, and other vegetables arrive from across the country before being redistributed.

This week, however, traders say the number of trucks bringing tomatoes has fallen by nearly half. Morning hours, when the market is usually full of shouting traders and buyers negotiating prices, many stalls remain half-empty. Some sellers are even sharing space to cut down on costs.

The shortage has also been felt by small-scale traders and mama mbogas in estates like Umoja, Kayole, and Githurai. Many have been forced to reduce the size of tomato portions or mix tomatoes with other vegetables like onions.

Experts say Kenya’s reliance on rain-fed agriculture is a major contributor to these recurring shortages. During dry spells, farmers cut down production, and when rains come unexpectedly, crops are damaged or fail to ripen properly.

Agricultural officers have urged farmers to invest in irrigation systems and to use disease-resistant tomato varieties to stabilize supply.

Some farmers in Naivasha and Loitoktok have already adopted greenhouse farming, which allows for year-round production. However, experts say the high cost of setting up such systems remains a major barrier for smallholder farmers.

As prices continue to climb, Nairobi residents are feeling the pinch, with many turning to alternative meals or reducing tomato use in daily cooking.

Traders at Marikiti are hopeful that prices will begin to stabilize in the coming weeks as new harvests reach the market.

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