This archive report was first published on 18 June 2020.
Kenya's egg prices have plummeted by nearly 20% since March, largely due to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and increased duty-free imports from Uganda.
According to a spot-check, supermarkets are selling eggs at an average of Sh350 per tray, while roadside traders are selling them at an average of Sh270 per tray or just above Sh10 each.
Chicken farmers in Kenya are struggling to cope with the sudden drop in demand, which has been exacerbated by the closure of hotels, eateries, and learning institutions.
Felix Juma, a chicken farmer in Kajiado County, said that while demand had fallen starting March due to the closure of hotels, eateries, and learning institutions, production had remained steady leading to a glut and the subsequent slide in prices.
"The biggest buyers of eggs are hotels and schools, and if you take these two from the equation, then as farmers we have now been forced to compete amongst ourselves and sell at drastically low prices," said Mr Juma.
The Federation of Kenya Poultry Farmers (FKPF) has urged the government to ban all eggs and chicken meat imports from Uganda to cushion local farmers.
