This archive report was first published on 20 May 2020.
Onion prices in Nyeri have skyrocketed, leaving households struggling to afford the staple vegetable.
According to recent data, the price of a kilogramme of onion has increased by 86% in just one month, with a kilogramme now selling at Sh150.
The sharp rise in prices is attributed to a shortage of supply from Tanzania, which normally floods the markets with high-grade onions.
As a result, traders are now relying on local crops, which are selling at a wholesale price of Sh100 per kilo.
"At a time like now, we are usually selling the Tanzanian onions which flood the market and earn us good profit but with the closure of borders and limited movement, we are relying on what is locally produced," said Mr Cyrus Gichuki, a trader at the Nyeri open air market.
Despite Nyeri being a top onion producer, traders in the county often prefer importing onions, citing their lower prices.
"The imported onions are cheaper, sold in bulk unlike the local ones that are weighed in kilos," added Mr Gichuki.
He also noted that local farmers sell their onions before they are mature, making them perish faster.
Additionally, traders have increased the price of peas by 25% in the last three weeks, from Sh80 to Sh100 per kilo.
"We are expecting prices to continue going up since a majority of the items we sold came from Tanzania," said Mr Charles Kiama, a trader.
He also mentioned that prices of oranges have shot up from Sh80 per kilo to Sh100.
On the other hand, farmers have explained that they are forced to sell their onions at high prices to avoid making losses.
"While our neighbours enjoy support from the government which reduces their cost of production, I have invested heavily in cultivating and harvesting the onions and buying farm inputs just to produce a bulb of onion," said Mr Warui Kahinga, a farmer in Kiawara.
They now want the government to cushion them from being pushed out of the market.
Meanwhile, potato prices have shot up by 30% with a 17kg bucket of the commodity selling at Sh650 up from Sh500.
However, with increased rainfall being experienced in the country, there is availability of vegetables such as green collards, spinach, cabbage, courgettes and carrots.
