Cabbage prices have risen sharply in Nairobi markets as traders report a shortage of the vegetable, with limited supplies from the major producing regions and high transport costs pushing up the cost of restocking, according to a spot check across the city.
At Marikiti Market, a head of cabbage that previously sold for between Sh20 and Sh40 now retails at between Sh70 and Sh100, an increase of at least 75 percent. Traders say the higher prices are weakening demand, with some consumers cutting back on purchases as household budgets come under pressure.
Cabbage is among the cheapest and most widely eaten vegetables in Kenyan households, so price swings are felt quickly. Earlier this year, shortages hit parts of Western Kenya, where the farm-gate price had doubled from Sh20 to Sh40 and retailers were charging between Sh100 and Sh170. Farmers attributed that shortage to erratic weather, high production costs and widespread abandonment of the crop after prolonged losses.
Transport costs are another strain. The Energy and Petroleum Regulatory Authority raised pump prices on October 15, with diesel in Nairobi rising by Sh9.90 a litre to Sh227.76. Transporters have warned that the increase will push up the cost of moving goods, and traders say these costs get passed on to buyers at the market.
The shortage comes as household costs rise generally. Inflation climbed to 6.8 percent in September from 6.6 percent in August, and prices of other staples, including maize flour, have remained elevated. Market surveys elsewhere put cabbage above Sh85 a kilogram in recent weeks.
There are some signs that relief could come. Forecasts say the short rains from October to December could revive crop production, although traders say it takes weeks for new cabbages to mature and reach the market. Until then, they expect prices to remain high.
For vendors, the problem is double-sided. Higher buying costs squeeze their margins, while shoppers are buying smaller portions or switching to other vegetables, which leaves stock sitting unsold on stalls.
