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Kenya: Consumers Complain of Escalating Food Prices
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The East African Standard (Nairobi)
24 April 2008
Posted to the web 23 April 2008
Peter Mutai
Nairobi
Prices of essential commodities in Nakuru and its environs have shot up due to the effects of post-election violence.
Consumers have complained that the escalating high prices have impacted seriously on their livelihood and called on the government to intervene.
A survey carried by The Standard at the leading supermarkets chains in the town and at the Nakuru Open Air Market indicate that prices of various commodities have risen by between 20 and 50 per cent.
A 500-gram loaf of bread is selling at Sh31 up from Sh22 it was costing three months ago while a packet of fresh milk cost Sh36 up from Sh25 it was selling four months ago.
A consumer, Mrs Judith Cheruiyot, complained that prices of cooking oil have gone up drastically saying this has forced her monthly budget for consumable items to escalate.
"I am surprised to see that prices of essential commodities have been escalating and yet the government is doing little to help consumers from being exploited by unscrupulous businessmen," she said.
Cheruiyot said a two-litre jerry can of Elianto cooking oil, which used to cost Sh298 five months ago, was now selling at Sh390 while two kg of Mwea pure Pishori rice was selling at Sh160 up from Sh145.
"Even prices of milk have drastically increased. A litre of fresh milk is going for Sh36 up from Sh20 two months ago," said the mother of two.
At the Nakuru open air market, prices of tomatoes has shot up with a 60 kilogram crate selling between Sh2,800 and Sh3,000 up from Sh1,200 in December.
Josephine Nyambura said the cost of transport has impacted adversely on their business to transport their produce from the farm to the market.
"We are being charged Sh5,000 up from Sh3,500 to hire a canter lorry to transport tomatoes from farms in Subukia to Nakuru town," Nyambura said.
Prices of potatoes have also gone up due to high transportation cost charged by transporters. A sack of the commodity cost Sh3,000 up from Sh2,300 three month ago.
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The survey also indicated that the price of green maize which is sourced from Meru has risen to Sh4,000 up from Sh1,500 per sack last December.
Rift Valley Provincial Director of Agriculture ,Mr Leonard Nambuya, attributed the escalating prices to high cost of transport due to the rising cost of fuel in the world market.
"Farmers and traders cannot afford to transport their produce to the market," he said.
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