Food prices trends varied across the country but indicated a slight increase compared to the month of April.
The Food and Nutrition Security report for May shows that the average price of a 90kg bag of maize across major markets in May was Sh2,835 compared to Sh2,723 in April and Sh2,610 in March.
The report was released on Wednesday by the Ministry of Agriculture, State department of Crop Development and Agricultural Research.
It indicates that the average price of maize grain was stable in the urban reference markets which was attributed to continued flow of maize from maize surplus areas.
Agriculture Principal Secreytary Hamadi Boga said the domestic supply of maize is still high in the maize growing region and there is fairly good distribution between deficit and surplus regions.
He said the highest average price of a 90 kg bag was reported in Kisumu County at Sh3, 300 and lowest prices in Eldoret at Sh2, 500.
The price of beans decreased by nearly Sh470, with average price of beans going at Sh7,961 compared to Sh8,439 per 90 kg bag in April.
High average prices of beans at Sh8, 845 was recorded in Kisumu which is attributed to low domestic stocks.
“The average prices for a 50kg bag of Irish potatoes was Sh1, 945 compared to Sh1,835 in April. This indicated a slight increase compared to the price of Sh1,762 in March. High average whole sale price of Sh2,333 was recorded in Kisumu county and was attributed to reducing supply from the production regions,” says the report.
Boga said the estimated domestic stocks indicated that maize stock by the end of May 2021 was 16,590,269 bags, beans stock 4,972,542 bags and wheat stocks was at 3,551,584 bags.
He said the report showed that most of the maize and bean stock was with farmers while traders and millers held wheat stocks
According to the report farmers were holding 15,295,900 bags (90kg) maize, 3,191,360 bags of beans, 50,000 bags of wheat and 96,200 bags of rice.
Traders on the other hand were holding 891,300 bags of maize, 1,781,180 bags of beans, 3,501,580 and 2,285,000 bags of wheat and rice respectively.
The National Cereals and Produce Bard has a stock of 403,000 bags of maize,” the food and nutrition report states
