The adverse effect of drought has resulted in the rise of various foodstuffs including potatoes which has increased by almost 50 per cent.
The traders maintains that the shortage has been caused by the prolonged drought that has hit most parts of the country.
“The acute shortage of the commodity has pushed the prices to the roof. A 50Kg of potatoes is now retailing at Sh4, 200 up from Sh2, 800 between June and September,” says Mary Kinya a trader in Maua town Igembe South Sub-County.
She maintains that currently it’s only one lorry supplying potatoes in Maua town compared to previous months where 15 lorries could supply the commodity even on daily basis.
“I always supplied about five lorries of potatoes to Maua town weekly but currently it is not possible due to the prevailing shortage,” ascertains Kirimi Muratanya a potato trader adding that he sometimes take about three days in Nyandarua before filling one lorry.
Retailers are also complaining that the increase of price has resulted in huge losses as they try to break down quantities of potatoes as per the customers need.
By Kamanja Maeria
