Irish Potato Prices Remain High Across Kenyan Markets As Supply Shortage Bites

The price of Irish potatoes remains high across several Kenyan markets, with consumers continuing to pay more for one of the country’s most popular food crops.

In Mombasa, a kilo of Irish potato is retailing at Ksh70, and Ksh69 in Eldoret. In Nakuru, it was Ksh65, and in Nairobi buyers paid between Ksh55 and Ksh62.

Other markets were pricier, depending on the variety:

A 50-kilo is currently retailing at Ksh2,750 to Ksh3,950, depending on market and variety. Retail buyers purchasing small amounts often pay a good deal more. Prices also haven’t gone back to the lower levels seen earlier in the year, and traders say supply is what worries them most.

Fewer potatoes are reaching the market. Weather has disrupted production in major growing areas such as Meru, Nyandarua, Narok and Naivasha, and higher transport costs get added to what traders charge once the produce reaches town.

Heavy rains wiped out a lot of crops, and blight made things worse. Some farmers were left without enough seed to plant the next crop, so supply can’t bounce back quickly.

Spoke to some traders who said prices climbed sharply from May because of the rains, the crop losses, and the seed problem. One Nairobi trader put a 50-kilo sack at about Ksh7,000, while at Marikiti it could go for Ksh7,500.

A potato passes through transport, handling, market charges, sorting and several traders’ margins before it gets to a household, and each stage adds something.

With weather patterns still unsettled in parts of the country, harvests stay small, and that leaves fewer potatoes for traders, processors and households.

Businesses that rely on potatoes are feeling it as well. Chips and bhajia vendors have had to buy less or raise prices to avoid making a loss, so the extra cost ends up with customers anyway.

In most Kenyan kitchens, potatoes go into stews, mukimo, chips, bhajia and viazi karai, so people can’t easily do without them. Many households are still buying, just in smaller quantities. Some now pay for a few kilos at a time rather than a whole sack.

Bigger harvests in the coming months, along with decent weather, should take some pressure off the market.

Read Also: A 50-Kg Bag Of Irish Potatoes Retailing Averagely At Ksh 3000