Kisumu Shoppers Pay The Most For Tomatoes As Prices Vary Sharply Across The Country
A kilo of tomatoes in Kisumu will cost you almost three times what it does in Meru. Across the counties, prices range from KSh42 to KSh115 per kilogramme, a gap that comes down to supply, demand, transport costs and local market conditions.
Kisumu tops the list at an average of KSh115 per kilo, which works out to about KSh6,900 for a 60kg crate. Bungoma comes next at KSh102, followed by Uasin Gishu, home to Eldoret, at KSh91, and Nakuru at KSh89.
Kakamega and Nairobi sit level at KSh85 a kilo, or roughly KSh5,100 for a crate. Prices drop further at the Coast, where Mombasa averages KSh65, about KSh3,900 a crate.
The cheapest tomatoes are in the central and eastern regions. Nyeri averages KSh58, Kitui KSh53, Kirinyaga KSh52, Tharaka Nithi KSh51 and Murang’a KSh49. Meru is the lowest of all at KSh42 a kilo, meaning a 60kg crate goes for around KSh2,520.
Tomato prices across selected counties
| County | Price per Kg | 60kg Crate |
| Kisumu | KSh115 | KSh6,900 |
| Bungoma | KSh102 | KSh6,120 |
| Uasin Gishu/Eldoret | KSh91 | KSh5,460 |
| Nakuru | KSh89 | KSh5,340 |
| Kakamega | KSh85 | KSh5,100 |
| Nairobi | KSh85 | KSh5,100 |
| Mombasa | KSh65 | KSh3,900 |
| Nyeri | KSh58 | KSh3,480 |
| Kitui | KSh53 | KSh3,180 |
| Kirinyaga | KSh52 | KSh3,120 |
| Tharaka Nithi | KSh51 | KSh3,060 |
| Murang’a | KSh49 | KSh2,940 |
| Meru | KSh42 | KSh2,520 |
The county averages come from Agrisoko’s price records covering the past 90 days. The platform cautions that prices shift with the market, the grade of the produce, the season, and how much stock is available.
In June, Ahero Market in Kisumu recorded tomatoes at KSh90 wholesale and KSh100 retail, while Musoli Market in Kakamega had them at KSh71.43 wholesale and KSh90.91 retail.
In Kirinyaga, Ngurubani Market posted KSh35 wholesale and KSh50 retail. At Nkubu in Meru, the same month’s figures were KSh10 wholesale and KSh60 retail.
Supply shocks have driven some of the biggest swings. Heavy rains in Kisumu disrupted deliveries in May, pushing the wholesale price of a standard crate to between KSh7,600 and KSh8,000, up from KSh7,000 to KSh7,500.
In Murang’a, a 60kg crate fetched KSh6,800 to KSh7,000 in April, a steep climb from as low as KSh1,000 during the January glut. A kilo there rose to about KSh100.
The tomato market remains highly unpredictable, with prices moving according to how much produce actually reaches each market.
For shoppers, Meru currently offers the cheapest tomatoes among the counties compared, and Kisumu the most expensive.
Farmers and traders may see an opening in the gap, since supplying higher-priced markets could pay off. But transport, spoilage, and other costs will eat into the margin and need to be counted before they commit.
Read Also: Households Dig Deeper Into Their Pockets To Buy Tomatoes
