This archive report was first published on 6 May 2020.
As the COVID-19 pandemic intensifies, pineapple traders at Ngoina road junction in Bureti sub-county are struggling to make ends meet.
According to Chairlady of the Ngoina Road Highway Women Pineapple group, Ms. Jane Bore, the traders are experiencing a significant decline in sales since the suspension of their fruit hawking business along the busy Kericho-Kisii highway last month.
Before the pandemic, Bore would sell up to 50 pineapples in a day, fetching double profit. However, the volume has plummeted drastically, with Bore now selling only two pineapples in a day.
“Generally we all are experiencing a shrink in our sales. Earlier on, we would make slices of a full pineapple and sell them for Sh 10 but with the directive we stopped all this and we are forced to now sell whole pineapples getting no profit,” Bore said.
Another distraught trader, Gladys Cheruiyot, echoed similar sentiments, stating that the traders are struggling to meet basic needs of their respective families due to the additional expenses incurred to purchase antibacterial sanitizers, protective face masks, and soap.
“We buy the masks for Sh.50 or Sh.100 each, a bar of soap goes for Sh.100, while a 50ml sanitizers goes for Sh 160. At the same time, those residing far from their business are forced to incur transport expenses of Sh. 100 to beat the curfew and with zero sales some of our members opt not to come to work daily,” Cheruiyot said.
The Kericho Chamber of Commerce Chairman, David Bii, urged the traders to adhere to the laid-out guidelines to protect themselves against the coronavirus, while also calling upon the county government to ensure a constant supply of water to the designated water points along the highway.
